The Darkness Inside
by Hallow Sisters On My Mind
Summary: Takes place during the Worst Witch series two. Without her powers and her sisters to keep her sane, Esmerelda spirals down into a pit of depression. Worst Witch 2017/2018.
1. Chapter 1 - Lonely

A/N: Hi all it is time for a new story. I know I seem to always write about the same topics but it is just easy for me to write. When you love the Hallow sisters as much as I do you start to realise how much it looks like Esmerelda is on the edge of depression, in series one she even shows signs of this. This story takes place during series two when she has no powers and this time she goes deep into depression. This one does not have as dark topics as some of my others so it will be rated T. I hope you all enjoy. Sorry this opening chapter is so boring but I had to introduce the story.

* * *

 _ **The Darkness Inside**_

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Chapter One

 **Lonely**

Esmerelda was sat in her bedroom and angrily slammed the book she was reading shut. Useless, just like all the other books she had been reading recently. The girl sighed and lay down on her bed trying to stop her thoughts trailing off into dark ones.

Esmerelda had lost her magic exactly two months, eight weeks, ago. At first she really didn't care to much, she was in shock and she didn't realise what the impact of her having no powers meant but after a few weeks when it hit her it hit her hard because Sybil was preparing to start at Cackles and she realised in that moment she would not be going back.

Her parents had told her that they would find a solution to give her magic again but so far she had not heard anything from them, she tried to ask them once but they just told her they had not gotten around to it yet. Esmerelda was not sure if they honestly didn't care about helping her or if they were putting it off because then they could blackmail and make people feel sorry for their poor non-magical daughter who had tragically lost her powers because of Agatha Cackle. Either way, Esmerelda suspected by this rate she would be getting her powers back by the time she was old and sick and no longer needed them.

The blonde was upset, and for a while she was angry with Ethel for helping Agatha but that anger lasted about a week, she loved Ethel she couldn't stay mad at her, she knew Ethel had problems and despite what people said about Ethel, Esmerelda knew she did love her and Sybil, she just got caught up in all this bad behaviour that sometimes things happened. Plus even though Esmerelda knew other people were giving her sister a hard time about it Esmerelda knew Ethel had made up for it. She would be dead now if it wasn't for Ethel running through the castle whilst it was collapsing and saving her she would have died as of course she was a trophy, she couldn't exactly of gotten up herself and walked out, and Ethel had felt guilty about it as well afterwards.

"Esmerelda, how about I give you my powers, you deserve to attend school with Sybil" Ethel had said three weeks into the summer holidays. So many people didn't know Ethel well but Esmerelda knew her to well. She knew when she was upset and she knew when she was happy. She could tell when Ethel was being genuine with apologises or if she was faking it, yes Esmerelda knew Ethel probably better than anyone else and when she had said that she knew her sister was serious about it.

"No Ethie, I would never let you give me your magic, just look after Sybie yes? You know how afraid she gets" Esmerelda had replied hugging Ethel tightly, Ethel had sighed telling her to think it through but Esmerelda would never consider it.

Having her sisters was what kept Esmeralda sane. Somehow her being powerless didn't matter, they went to the libraries or parks or theatres and talked and messed around in each others bedrooms whilst they were off. Their parents of course worked and worked and they only had each other which was just the way she liked it. But now Ethel and Sybil were at school and had been gone for a few weeks. Esmerelda knew her love for her sisters could border on addiction and she would not try to deny it anymore. She missed them so much her chest hurt, she mirror called them but it wasn't the same as being with them.

The girl was so bored in that moment. There was no technology in the mansion and she had read so many books the last two months she could feel her head hurt, it had gotten to the point where she had given up on books, she can't of being the only witch to lose her powers in history but apparently she was as there was nothing about it in any books she read. Even in restricted books she had a hard time finding.

Someone knocked on her door in that moment as Esmie was lost in thought, Esmerelda didn't move but spoke in a bored voice

* * *

"Yes?" she said bored out of her mind

"Lunch is served" she heard the familiar voice of their butler, Sebastian, tell her. Esmerelda sighed and sat up before leaving her bedroom. A change of scenery might stop her going out of her mind. She climbed the stairs and went and sat at the dining room table where the food was ready. Her parents were working and she sat at the twelve person table alone feeling lonely and not liking the quiet. She looked down at the food on her plate. Some sort of cold pasta with tuna, more appealing than school food's serving of cement but still not nice by any means. The blonde girl looked around and seeing she was well and truly alone as the servants were busy elsewhere she picked up her plate of food and dumped it in the bin. She didn't feel hungry at all. Not that it mattered, missing one meal would not kill her. She had never being a big eater anyway and right now the last thing she felt like doing was eating.

She put her plate on the table and then left, going back to her bedroom. She felt like she was going mad being in this house alone, that had been happening a lot lately, she just felt lost and numb. Sometimes fresh air helped her so she walked to her bedroom preparing to go out.

* * *

She looked at herself in her mirror in her bedroom. She had not bothered to do anything with her hair as of yet and she looked like she had fallen in a bush. She picked up her hair brush, brushing through her blonde locks and decided to curl her hair so she looked a little more like she made an effort. She was a Hallow after all and her reputation was already soiled, she didn't want people seeing her and saying she dressed like a homeless person.

Therefore Esmerelda unwrapped the cord of her hair curlers and plugged them in. She had brought the hair curlers when she lost her powers because her parents had demanded she have her hair curled for a party but of course she had no magic and Ethel said she didn't know how to curl hair yet by magic and she didn't want to risk it as she could go bald. Esmerelda had therefore brought some inexpensive curlers and as she had them she must as well use them she told herself.

She waited for the curler to warm up and then took a piece of hair and started to curl it. 'Bloody non-magical devices take forever' Esmerelda told herself as she held her hair on the curler and waited knowing it was going to take ages to do all her hair.

Esmerelda was curling her fifth piece of hair when her cat, Morgana, started rubbing against her legs, wanting cuddles of her mistress.

"Not right now Morgana I am busy" Esmerelda told her familiar but Morgana being a cat of course decided not to listen and she jumped on the cabinet next to Esmie's mirror and started to bat at Esmie's hand with her paw.

"Morgana no!" Esmerelda said. She was so worried about burning her familiar that she dropped the curler in shock and it fell on her arm before falling on the floor, burning her.

"AHH MORGANA" Esmerelda shouted as she clutched her sore burnt arm. Morgana realised she was in trouble and ran off as Esmerelda unplugged the curler not wanting to stand on it and burn her foot as well.

"Stupid thing" Esmerelda complained as she looked at the nasty red burn that was starting to blister on her arm.

After a few minutes the pain started to die down a little bit and left her with a smaller amount of pain, it was comforting and for that moment she forgot she had no magic and about her worries because she was more focused about the pain.

Esmerelda knew little about self-harm. It was a taboo subject in the magical world. Afraid of the fact she was enjoying pain she put away the hair curler and threw on a jacket, knowing how cold it would be in September. She did live in Britain after all. She rushed down the stairs and out of the Hallow mansion before she could be tempted again.

* * *

Esmerelda must have walked for a good half an hour before she wrapped her arms around herself, cold, wishing she had brought a warmer jacket. She walked through the non-magical park seeing mothers playing with their kids and one mother with two little girls that reminded her of Ethel and Sybil she went and sat down on one of the bench's needing some space.

The more time she was alone the worst her mental state was becoming. Everything felt so dark right now and she had no idea how anything was going to change, she had tried to find a solution but had come up with nothing.

Esmerelda looked around sadly as she saw people happy despite the cold horrible winter weather and she felt that familiar feeling of missing Ethel and Sybil and squeezed the burn on her arm making the pain feel more intense, she knew she shouldn't do that as it could turn into a nasty habit but she couldn't help herself.

Esmerelda sat on the bench until it started raining and went and stood in the cafe for shelter. Looking at her watch she saw it was only an hour until Ethel and Sybil would be mirroring her and for the first time that day she smiled.

The rain stopped after a while and she walked home faster than normal, not wanting to miss her sisters mirror call. It was the only thing that made her happy these days.

She rushed to her room and sat in her room waiting for them to mirror her. They arrived right on time and Esmerelda smiled at them and waved.

"How was your day sis?" Ethel asked looking at her interested and Esmerelda sighed.

"Boring, how was your days?" Esmerelda asked and her and her sisters started talking to one another in deep conversation.

Before long Ethel and Sybil had to leave as their mirroring time was up. Esmerelda waved goodbye as the mirror turned transparent again and she was once again back in her world of loneliness and dark thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2 - Special Dinner

A/N: This chapter is for my good friend the stargate time traveler as I know you like it when I write about my character Prince. I hope you all enjoy. I don't own the worst witch!

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Chapter Two

 **Special Dinner**

Esmerelda opened her hazel eyes and saw that her room was still dark, looking at the time she saw it was two in the morning and she sighed knowing it was going to be another long night. The blonde had been suffering from nightmares recently. Sometimes they were about losing her magic to Agatha and sometimes they were about Ethel and Sybil injured and her not being able to help them as she is not at school.

Esmerelda stood up knowing it was going to take her ages to get back to sleep. Her parents would be mad if she wandered around the mansion at night so she instead walked into her bathroom and looked at her face in the mirror. She looked tired, her eyes were red and puffy from lack of sleep. Knowing she had no choice she returned to her bed and spent the next few hours trying to get back to sleep but she lay in bed awake, haunted by her nightmares.

* * *

She got back to sleep after a few hours and when she woke up it was nine. _'Ethel and Sybil would be going to lessons now'_ she thought before shaking her head knowing it was bad for her to think of that. She quickly dressed and then as she had for the last two months in the mornings grabbed a book and started flickering through it hoping this time she will get lucky and find some new information about how to get back her lost magic.

Nothing at all. By the time she had finished reading she realised she had missed breakfast. Oh well she told herself, it was not a big deal. She stroked Morgana who stretched out on her legs happily and felt her mind drifting.

Esmerelda was smart and she knew something was wrong with her mind right now. She couldn't think of happy moments, only sad and she felt trapped like everywhere she looked was dark and the world had faded of colour. Her sisters were her only joy in her world but as soon as they left the mirror her world darkened again. She was struck. She didn't belong in the magical world anymore but didn't belong in the non-magical world, she was just stuck in limbo trying to fit in somewhere again.

Esmerelda reached over to her bedside table and took out a purple leather bounded book. She had never really being one for diaries, more for the reason she didn't have time to write in them but since losing her magic and having all the time in the world she had been writing in it daily. She looked at the date and wrote it in the corner before making her entry.

" _This feeling won't go away, the darkness is still within me. Mother and father would never let me see someone to help with it but it is getting more difficult as time goes on. The world seems to become more drained of colour everyday and I don't know how to make it light again. The worst part is that temptations are becoming more great, I can still feel the tingle of that burn...but I know I must resist that, it is not the way to go"_ Esmerelda wrote as she stroked Morgana now and then wondering if there was anything else she could write.

" _Ethel and Sybil are unaware I suspect, although I see the_ _ir suspicions_ _are rising, it might be best to find some sort of club to join, anything to take my mind of my current situation._ " she finished writing.

She put her pen down and then hid her diary back in her drawer. It wasn't the best hiding place but she knew no-one would find it, her parents didn't really go in her room anyway. She left her bedroom then knowing she couldn't stay in there all day or she would go insane and headed down the stairs. She decided maybe it was best to join some sort of club because then she will have a reason to go out so she decided she would go and see which clubs there were at the local community centre she could join.

* * *

"Esmerelda" she heard a familiar voice say and turned to see Sebastian there again. She didn't attempt a smile but was polite.

"Yes Sebestian?" Esmerelda replied wondering what he wanted. She didn't feel like talking.

"Your parents had to go in early today but they left me with a message for you, they said that tonight the Moonlights are coming for dinner so make sure you are ready" he told Esmerelda passing on the message. Esmerelda's eyes widened in horror.

"The Moonlights?" she said horrified

"Yes" the man said looking less than pleased. Esmerelda was not surprised as even her butler didn't enjoy waiting on the world's brattiest little boy. Who would?

Prince Moonlight. He made Ethel look like a perfect angel in comparison. He was spoiled, loud, cocky, demanding and the ultimate rich child that films liked to show. He was the one person that Esmerelda had considered cursing in her life. He made her so angry and in her current mental state seeing Prince was to much.

"Tell my parents I am not well" Esmerelda told him and Sebastian nodded sympathetically knowing they would not let her off the hook. Esmerelda rushed out the front door her bad mood getting worse by the second.

* * *

Bloody Prince. Why could he not get trapped in a painting like Agatha? The only people who would miss him were his parents, no-one else liked the little brat. Esmerelda tried not to think to much about it as she walked without a destination, just needing some air to clear her head.

She was sick. No that wouldn't work. She had to think of an excuse to get out of the dinner but she sighed as she knew her parents wouldn't let her no matter what excuse she had. Maybe if she stayed out long enough she would miss it and she could say she forgot? That sounded like a good plan.

She realised she had walked into a wooded area by accident then. She didn't come here often but she smiled slightly. Being lost in some woods was a good excuse for not going to the stupid dinner. Esmerelda was just planning on walking further into them so she had longer to walk around them, proud of herself for thinking of such a good reason to miss the dinner. Well it would have being a good reason if she wasn't transferred back to her bedroom just then.

* * *

"Esmerelda you better start getting ready, you will be late" Mrs Hallow said and Esmerelda hated magic in that moment. She nearly got out with it if it wasn't for the fact her parents could transfer her.

"Where have you been? You look a mess" her father said as Esmerelda had dirt on her from walking through mud in the woods. "Go shower and dress now" her mother said but Esmerelda clutched her stomach.

"I don't feel good" she said hoping someone had gave them a personality changing potion and they would take pity on her.

"You are going" her father said as they left and Esmerelda knew she had no choice. She didn't have the strength to fight with them.

* * *

She showered quickly and dressed in the purple gown her mother had picked out. She always hated these fancy dresses, they were itchy and unflattering but she left quickly, needing to get this over with.

"MUMMY I AM HUNGRY" Prince shouted. Five seconds she had been down and he was being a brat. Prince was around Sybil's age, Esmerelda had never bothered to learn his exact age. He had dark hair that was slicked back, beady eyes and his ugly nose pointed in the air. Esmerelda felt like grabbing the boy and throwing him out the window already as they sat down to eat.

"I heard you lost your magic" Prince started saying as their parents talked

"I was tricked into giving it away" Esmerelda replied not wanting to talk about her absent powers with the likes of Prince Moonlight.

"How could you fall for something like that?" Prince said before he stuffed food into his mouth. Esmerelda did not get her wish of him choking. He chewed loudly with his mouth opened, swallowed, then kept talking.

"I did it for my sister" Esmerelda went on wanting nothing more than to leave.

"Oh yes I forgot you have siblings, how unfortunate, being an only child means you get everything" Prince said happily. Esmerelda never understood that logic, she still got everything anyway because of the stupid code saying the eldest inherits everything.

"I like having sisters, I love them" Esmerelda told Prince knowing he wouldn't understand that.

Prince looked at the girl funny before screaming "I NEED THE TOILET" the boy shouted and Esmerelda was glad of this fact. She got half an hour's peace as his mum got their driver to take him home and bring him back. Prince refused to use any toilet but his one at home. He got around this as he went to day wizard school so waited until he got home which was why he was at that dinner, his parents couldn't let their precious Prince live away. Esmerelda closed her eyes enjoying the peace and quiet but unfortunately for her he got back after twenty minutes instead of half an hour as there was no traffic.

"Did you miss me?" Prince asked Esmerelda as he plonked himself down and the girl had to refrain from laughing in his face.

"Yes like a nail in my thumb" Esmerelda replied sarcastically. Prince did not seem to understand she was being sarcastic because his expression didn't change.

"Of course you did, I am the most important person in the world, I am perfect which is why my parents had one child" he told Esmerelda who shook her head at him.

"Whatever Prince" Esmerelda replied frustrated with him.

"And I go to the best school ever, Cackles is such a rundown school" Prince went on. Esmerelda felt sad as he spoke about Cackles. She wanted to go back so badly.

"And the pupils who go are low class" Prince went on speaking

"My sisters are not low class, they are the best" Esmerelda replied insulted he would say that.

"I bet I can do magic better than them" Prince replied and Esmerelda had to refrain from screaming. She was upset and angry and she wished he would shut up about magic. Prince was making her even more depressed than she already was and she looked at the clock, choking back a sob as she wondered why it was going so slowly.


	3. Chapter 3 - First Time

A/N: Please be warned this chapter includes mentions of self-harm so if you are uncomfortable with that you might want to skip this chapter.

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Chapter Three

 **First Time**

Esmerelda was finally allowed to leave the dinner after what felt like hours. She jumped up straight away and headed for her bedroom, trying to not fall apart before she reached her room. She didn't know why she was upset, she knew Prince was an idiot who was not worth getting upset about but he had made her mood much worse and she slammed her bedroom door so hard when she arrived in her room, Morgana ran and hid under the bed.

Speaking to Prince had made her feel more disconnected from ever to the magical world, she missed everything about it. Flying, making potions, casting spells, she even missed HB being strict and Miss Cackle and her oblivious attitude to anything. She missed her sisters the most though and with that she looked down at the ground and let tears fall.

Esmerelda had always being told crying was for the weak. Showing emotions made people weak and no-one wanted to see someone crying. It had taken her a while but she had finally mastered the deception, she could be blank or stone faced with her emotions she didn't even have to try. She didn't cry much, even when she was alone, but when she did, it was always bad.

For the first time since she lost her powers she cried. She didn't cry straight away as it hadn't sunk in and she didn't really have time to as she was a trophy and when she returned home and realised she had no powers she still didn't cry. She was numb to it and in shock, plus she knew crying was not going to make Agatha Cackle feel sorry for her and step out of the painting to give her back her magic so she hadn't seen the point, but she had had enough and this time she cried.

Morgana seeing her mistress upset jumped back onto the bed and walked slowly over to her, Esmerelda stroked her and started crying more at seeing her familiar, she had been lucky she had been able to keep her in the first place. She stroked her more though, enjoying feeling her soft fur.

"Stupid Prince, I hate him" Esmerelda said through her tears wiping her eyes which was pointless as more tears came down her face.

She cried more crying for her lost magic, her lost schooling, her lost world and freedom and for the fact she missed Ethel and Sybil.

"Things are not going to improve are they? I have about as much chance as mum and dad finding a solution to my absent magic as I do of Mildred and Ethel becoming the best of friends, so basically no chance. Why won't they help me?" Esmerelda said to her cat as she kept on crying wondering why her parents wouldn't help her. She thought the shame of having an non-magical daughter would make them take action but obviously not.

"I can't live without magic forever Morgana! It is to hard!" Esmerelda went on and the cat crooked her head as if she was listening.

* * *

After a while Esmerelda stopped crying and fell silent just thinking about everything, what she could do, what she couldn't do. She stood up with a sigh and made her way over to her bathroom to run water on her face. She put her hands under the tap and splashed water on her face before gently dabbing it with a towel to dry it.

Looking at herself in the mirror she had to say she looked awful. She was never one who cared much about appearance, always more focused on work and her sisters, but right now she honestly looked like a zombie. Red puffy eyes from crying and lack of sleep, pale skin, her hair was greasy as she hadn't bothered to wash it. She touched her face a few times hating the way she looked. She didn't even own any make-up to try freshen herself up a bit. Her parents would strict about that.

She tried to forget about how she looked as she grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. She might of not being keeping up with her appearance but she was still brushing her teeth. She didn't want her teeth to fall out now as well as everything else. She took the lid of the toothpaste tube and started to squeeze some onto her toothbrush, only it wouldn't come out because it was nearly empty.

"Come on" Esmerelda shouted as she squeezed the tube more to get some on her brush. She squeezed more and some of the toothpaste flew out the tube but went in the sink instead of on her toothbrush. Normally this would have just being a minor thing, she would have put more on her brush, cleaned the sink and brushed her teeth without a care but today that little thing, that little annoyance, was just another thing that was going wrong and it sent her over the edge.

She proceeded to look at the toothpaste in the sink for a few seconds before she lost control. She had one of the cupboards with a mirror on the front and she slammed it shut so hard in annoyance she heard a cracking sound and saw pieces of the mirror fall into the sink from where it had shattered and she let out a sob, frustrated and worried.

Seven years bad luck.

She wasn't one to believe in that silly stuff but with the way her luck was going she didn't need to take her chances for anymore. She took a breath trying to calm herself and then looked in the sink again, preparing to clean the glass up. She picked up the largest fragment and was just about to throw it in the bin by her feet when she was distracted by the sharp edge on it. She was taken back to the day prior when she had accidentally burned her arm on the hair curler, it was true that it had been painful but she had felt something else too.

Relief. She had felt better for a while and in a weird and sick way she had found the pain pleasuring. She had been so focused on the pain on her arm that she had forgotten about her life and the situation she was in. She had felt better, even if it had not lasted long. It had gave her comfort that she hadn't had in months.

She kept looking at the glass knowing she should just throw it away, if she started that bad habit she might not be able to stop doing it but it was hard, she was so tempted to injure herself. She touched her shoulder and that was when she went into a trance like state.

She suddenly forgot what she was doing and she didn't really care if it was a bad thing, she took the fragment of glass and pushed the tip of it into the skin on her shoulder. She pushed deeper until she saw blood and then ran the glass down a little, making a small angry red mark on her arm. She held the sink with her other hand as her arm started to throb from pain bit after a few seconds it started to become more numb and she finally felt alive again. She could still feel pain, she was still capable of emotions. She wasn't dead yet.

She put down the piece of glass, not wanting to go mad with how much she hurt herself and just watched her shoulder bleed. She could of cleaned it but she didn't want to she wanted to see it on her arm. She after all deserved this, all she deserved was pain.

Morgana walked in at that moment and saw what she was doing and meowed at her.

"It is only one time Morgana it is not going to kill me" Esmerelda said as she let the blood flow down her arm and she watched it interested.

Morgana seemed to glare at her and meowed again, she might be a cat but even she knew making yourself bleed was a bad thing.

"Don't look at me like that" Esmerelda said and when the cat continued to look at her she put her outside and closed the door.

"It is alright Esmie you just needed some relief, this is a one off" she told herself as she finally grabbed some tissue to clean the blood away but it was still bleeding. She wasn't sure how to make it stop so she held the tissue on it, knowing it had to stop eventually.

It bled for a few minutes longer and then stopped. Esmerelda looked at her arm and saw she had been left with a small red scar on her shoulder. It still hurt so she gently put a jumper on and left her bedroom, feeling the scar throb.

She went and lay on her bed, feeling the pain in her arm and enjoying the feeling of relief that washed over her. She had not felt so whole in a long time, she didn't understand how cutting herself could make her feel better but it did. She felt guilty and ashamed for what she had done but it didn't mean she didn't feel happier. Plus as she told her cat it was a one off, she needed something to repair her because she was broken but she wasn't going to do it again. She couldn't anyway, she had thrown the rest of the glass away.

"I am sorry Morgana, sometimes I am just weak" Esmerelda told her cat as she patted her on the head. Her cat pushed her head into her as way of forgiveness.

"Thank you Morgana, I need you as you are the only thing I have left right now" Esmerelda told her cat, glad she loved her again.

* * *

Despite the fact she had made the scar a few hours ago when it got late and she got into bed to sleep she could still feel a slight throbbing in her arm. It was like when someone had an injection and their arm hurt afterwards, that was how it felt to her.

She was careful to lie on her good arm as she slept as she knew she needed sleep as she had been getting so little. She closed her eyes, only now realising how tired she was as she started to drift off.

* * *

She woke with a start, drenched in sweat a few hours later as she had had another nightmare. In her shock she forgot about her arm and rolled onto her bad one only to sit up clutching it as it throbbed again.

"OW" Esmie said as she clutched it and hissed in pain

She knew then she had made a stupid move as now she had a sore arm that she could of avoided, she vowed there and then never to do something so stupid again. Causing herself pain was stupid and dangerous.

"You were right Morgana" Esmerelda said into the darkness as her cat slept next to her. She turned over and went back to sleep, promising herself to not make the same mistake again.


	4. Chapter 4 - Bad Habits

A/N: If you watch series one closely, you will notice that when Esmerelda is in the hall she never seems to have food, I based this chapter on that so I hope you enjoy. Very slightly mentions of self-harm.

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Chapter Four

 **Bad Habits**

Esmerelda woke up the next morning and her stomach rumbled loudly. She had not eaten much at all the day before and now her stomach was telling her off. She got up and quickly dressed before making her way downstairs for breakfast, starving, and ready for her food.

She sat down at the dining table all ready to tuck in, until she sat down. Once the food was actually in front of her her mind instantly changed as if a lightbulb had gone out.

The food was not that bad looking, it wasn't the fact it looked disgusting that was putting her off, she didn't even know what it was, she couldn't explain it but as she looked at the food she suddenly lost her whole appetite and despite the rumbling in her stomach she no longer wanted it. She took a few bites of the food, forcing it down her throat, knowing she had to eat even if she didn't want to but them few bites made her feel sick and she pushed her plate away without another bite.

She had never being a big eater, none of the Hallow family was but she had always ate a normal healthy amount so this was highly unusual. She climbed the stairs trying to figure out why the idea of eating suddenly made her feel sick but she didn't know. She told herself she would eat at lunch and went back to her bedroom.

* * *

After the disaster that morning of Esmerelda skipping food she thought it was a good idea to instead go to a cafe to eat. Maybe it was the fact she had been eating the same food for the last two months that was making her feel sick. If she had more options she was sure the problem would fade so she put on a warmer coat, remembering her mistake from the other day when she had been freezing and caught in the rain, and left the mansion knowing there was a little cafe not far from her where her and her sisters had been a few times.

It was a short pleasant walk that gave her a chance to clear her head as she walked and she felt better when she stepped into the light blue door and saw customers sitting around eating in the cosy little cafe. She walked up to the counter to look at the menu to decide what she wanted.

"Sausages and mash please" Esmerelda told the cashier who nodded and she paid and was told it would be brought over. She took a seat in the corner, away from other people as she waited for her food. It was not that busy, and most people already had their orders so she knew it would not be a long wait.

Ten minutes later the waitress came and gave her the plate of food she had brought and told her where the sauce was in case she wanted any. Esmie smiled gratefully as she started to cut her food to eat it but then stopped.

That sickness feeling was coming again. She had no idea what was wrong with her but as she thought about it she had to be honest with herself, as much as she wanted to tell herself this was unusual it wasn't as unusual as she being trying to convince herself.

At school sometimes she would choose not to eat, it was always hard forcing down the cement like food they served but sometimes it wasn't anything to do with that, if she was upset or frustrated she never felt like eating. Some teachers, such as Miss Bat, made it easy to skip food as she normally fell asleep whilst serving anyway and would forget Esmerelda had not gone for any food, Surprisingly other pupils didn't comment on it much as they knew she just didn't eat much. Miss Drill was easy to skip with too. If you distracted her by telling her one of the footballs had lost its air she would leave to sort it and then go back to serve, not remembering who she had served and who she hadn't.

Miss Cackle, who in fairness only really served if someone was busy or ill, was actually the easiest to fool. Esmerelda had no idea how anyone could get distracted so easily or believe the excuses she came up with. She once told Miss Cackle she hurt her toe so didn't want to eat and the woman said she felt sorry for her and let it slide.

Miss Hardbroom was the only one who you could not fool. She watched all pupils like a hawk waiting for it's prey and would walk around the tables watching everyone to see if they had finished every last scrape and only then could they leave. If she saw someone trying to hide food or with no food she would make them line up to get some and would watch them even closer. Esmerelda wished HB wouldn't do that, she made her nervous watching her whilst she ate, but at least she ate properly when she was there.

Now that she was not at school and depressed all the time, clearly everything had become worst in her way of eating, she had no-one forcing her to eat and she had no-one to get her out of her bad mood and make her want to eat.

She put her knife and fork down and faked a cough pretending she was just taking a break, she didn't want people to see she wasn't eating and knew she had to think of a way to get out of it. She wished she had a mobile so she could fake a phone call and pretend it was an emergency so she had to leave, instead she stood up and went in the toilets, stood there for a few minutes, put her hood up and then rushed out the cafe with her head down so no-one could see her. She made it outside and went home with a sigh, ashamed of herself for failing to do something so easy again. She knew it was a habit she should have kicked long ago but it was just difficult for her.

* * *

She didn't do much for the next few hours, she just read her books until it was time for the mirror call. Ethel and Sybil appeared right on time and Esmerelda beamed at them.

"Hey!" she said waving happily as she had missed them so much

"Hey sis guess what, they are holding the first sports day, Miss Drill is thrilled" Ethel told her not looking to thrilled herself but smiling at Esmie.

"A whole day of PE? I think only Miss Drill will be happy about that!" Esmerelda replied with a chuckle.

"Luckily I don't have to do it, it is a second year sports day" Sybil said happily as she hated PE and was not good at it.

"Oh well then I am sorry you have to suffer through it alone Ethie" Esmerelda told her with a chuckle.

"Thanks, I will need that luck" Ethel replied with a sigh.

"We are making family trees Esmie!" Sybil now said happily

"Oh that new art teacher is into family then?" Esmerelda asked but stopped smiling as she saw Ethel scowling.

"She can't teach for toffee, I mean how is seeing your families faces on a tree art exactly?" Ethel asked and Esmerelda thought her sister had a good point. For once she had to agree.

"Nothing much I can think off" Esmerelda replied trying to see how it was anything to do with art but not realising how.

"Exactly, I don't like Mould, Mildred is like her little pet dog, always by her feet" Ethel complained rolling her eyes.

"She is strange, I don't know why there is just something about her" Sybil admitted.

"Well luckily you only really have to see her in lessons" Esmerelda pointed out to make them feel better.

"Did you find any more information to help with your ….problem?" Ethel asked not liking to say magic or powers as she knew her sister was still sensitive about it.

"Well no, I have read more books and there is nothing" Esmerelda told them and she narrowed her eyes confused as Ethel shifted uncomfortably, she clearly had something hidden.

"Why have you thought go something?" Esmerelda asked her and Ethel opened her mouth about to reply when their parents walked in.

"Hi girls" Mr Hallow said and Ethel looked at the floor knowing her parents were not her friends right now.

"Ethel was just about to tell me something" Esmerelda told them hating them going in and just taking over.

"Then say it quickly Ethel" her mother said glaring at her. Ethel gulped and knew she could not tell her now their parents were there.

"It doesn't matter" Ethel said even though Esmerelda could read in her face she was lying but she had no time to say anything else as her parents started asking Sybil about school.

By the time it was time for the girls to leave Ethel still hadn't had a chance to tell her anything and Esmerelda went to her room upset, she knew Ethel had had something important to tell.

She went into the bathroom feeling lower than low after her ruined conversation with her sisters, the only thing she lived for right then. Why did her parents have to take over? Did they not realise her sisters were the only reason she got out of bed? She closed the door found a razor, making a fresh cut in her arm, knowing she said she wouldn't but unable to help herself. She knew she was starting to break apart, but there was nothing she could do to stop it.


	5. Chapter 5 - Back To School

A/N: This chapter is based on Series 2 Episode 7 Hollow Wood and some parts are the same as the episode. I do not own the episode I am just using it for my story as I feel like I need to include this in this specfic story.

* * *

Chapter Five

 **Back To School**

It had been a week and Esmerelda was hardly eating a scrap. She knew it was dangerous and even deadly but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. The thing was she didn't even feel hungry anymore so she didn't have a desire to eat. That day she got up and actually made herself look presentable before she left early, preparing for the long journey she was taking.

It took over an hour to arrive at Cackles. Esmerelda had to see her sisters in the flesh before she did something stupid. She dressed all in black so that no-one could see she had began losing weight. Thankfully it wasn't to noticeably yet but with Ethel always seeming to notice stuff she had to be as careful as she could.

She knew from Sybil she had potions that morning for her first lesson so after she sneaked into the school so she went to the classroom when the lesson had finished and Sybil looked at her confused. She removed her hood and Sybil beamed and ran into her arms to hug her.

"Sybie" Esmerelda said genuinely smiling for the first time in a while.

"Well met Esmerelda" the girl heard HB say and she pulled away from her sister and her smile dropped.

"Well met...Miss Hardbroom" Esmerelda replied shyly.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" HB asked stupidly.

Esmie refrained from rolling her eyes. Did the woman not know she had an obsession with her sisters? She was not there to sample the school food that was for sure.

"I came to see my sisters" Esmie said looking down at the younger girl beside her lovingly "And if possible Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said looking back at HB.

"Ethel is off site at the moment doing a task I set, but I will tell Miss Cackle you are here" Miss Hardbroom replied.

Why today of all days did HB have to set Ethel a task, she needed to see Ethel so badly but she hid her disappointment and nodded.

"Thank you" she said before Hecate transferred away.

She had thought she was okay honestly. She was getting so good at hiding her emotions from other people but she had not being able to hide her hurt when Sybil's friend, Clarice, basically told her she was not allowed at Cackles without magic. She had let her mask drop then and found it hard to regain her composure.

* * *

She went to see Miss Cackle with that thought lingering on her mind. She had decided to ask the woman for a job just so she could be close to Ethel and Sybil and she also thought if she was at the school she would have to eat and she would no longer starve herself. It was a good idea for many reasons.

"If it was up to me the answer would be yes in a heartbeat but there are rules" Ada said and Esmerelda looked down upset and disappointed.

"I understand" she said looking at the floor sadly

"Why don't you catch up with Sybil, and I'll discuss it with Miss Hardbroom" Ada told her and Esmie smiled slightly.

"Oh thank you so much" Esmerelda replied as she left.

She started walking around the grounds to find her little sister until she heard Beatrice, her sister's other friend, call her who wanted her help to get Clarice and Sybil talking again. They were still fighting after what Clarice had said.

"I have no magic anymore" Esmerelda told Beatrice sadly not knowing how she could help her with a magical problem.

"Don't they have a game called netball in the non-magical world?" Beatrice asked Esmerelda who shrugged.

"Yes but I don't know much about it" she told Beatrice who threw the ball at her and ran off. Esmerelda went to score but missed, but then again she didn't think she had ever tried score without magic before.

* * *

Esmerelda spent the new few hours playing netball with Sybil once Beatrice had found her. Surprisingly it was actually quite fun and they spoke quietly to each other as they played.

"How long can you stay? Ethel will really want to see you" Sybil commented and Esmerelda sighed knowing she didn't have much choice in that, it was basically until her parents realised she had left that she had time.

"I know, I want to see her too" Esmerelda said as she threw the ball and scored. She missed Ethel, she knew it surprised people as this was in a way Ethel's fault but Ethel had learned, Esmerelda saw that even if others didn't.

"I would do anything for you to stay, anything" Sybil said sadly as she had missed her big sister so much and didn't want her to leave again.

"Things will get easier Sybie, I am always going to be here even if I am not here physically with you" Esmerelda told her sister seeing she looked sad.

Sybil hugged her then and Esmerelda hugged her back feeling so much better than she had in months, she felt alive again, she felt like it was worth living again, even if it was just to feel her sister hug her like that.

"There must be something we can do" Sybil said to her sister with a sigh.

"There is nothing I can find yet but it is okay, I am getting used to it" Esmerelda told Sybil just as she saw Clarice and Sybil walking up to them, she untangled her sister of her and led her over to her friends knowing life was to short for silly squabbles.

"I am sorry" Clarice and Sybil said at the same time

"I don't have a sister of my own, I should have tried to understand that sororal dynamic better" Clarice said and Beatrice and Sybil glanced at each other confused.

"Soraral, it means that unique sister thing we have" Esmerelda told her sister happily putting her arm around her and then letting the friends hug.

* * *

Esmerelda was glad she had got them back together. Clarice was a little strange and blunt and Beatrice never thought about anything and just went head first into things but they seemed to really like Sybil and not be using her for their own gain so she was happy Sybil had found friends she could trust.

"Who knew netball was so crafty?" Beatrice said as the group walked in a line and all laughed slightly.

"GO TEAM HALLOW" Sybil said putting her hand up and Esmie high fived her happily until Ada called her over.

When Ada told her she couldn't work at Cackles Academy she honestly felt broken inside as she realised she would have to leave Ethel and Sybil again and just then her dad turned up which meant her time was up and she hadn't seen Ethel yet. She had a little time as her father proceeded to argue with Ada and Hecate but Ethel was taking her time.

"Hollow wood" HB said when she was asked where the girls were. Esmie held back a squeak. Her little sister was in the most dangerous woods in the witching world, what if she and the others had taken so long because they were injured or even….no she couldn't think like that. She would know if Ethel was gone. She would feel her soul leave her, a part of her would just break.

Even though Mr Hallow found out where Ethel was he didn't seemed to concerned and didn't offer to go look for her. Instead, he told Esmerelda it was time to go and to say goodbye to Sybil. Esmerelda opened her mouth to argue but her father gave her such a deadly look she didn't dare. She got on the broomstick behind her father.

"Esmerelda...NO WAIT NO" Esmerelda heard Ethel shout just as they were taking off. She saw Ethel running up to them looking so heartbroken the happiness she felt before disappeared. She could hear Ethel still shouting. She waved at her sadly knowing there was no point in asking her dad if she could quickly see Ethel as he would say no.

"NO COME BACK, PLEASE" Ethel shouted to them

Mr Hallow though did not go back as they disappeared through the trees the last thing she saw was Ethel's sad face looking at her.

Her dad landed outside their mansion and flicked his hand to put his broomstick away before talking

"Go to your room before your mother comes home, you are in trouble young lady" he told her and Esmerelda nodded without another word climbing the stairs. As soon as she made it in there she sat on the floor and burst into tears, her sadness worse as she had being rejected from a job and had missed seeing Ethel. Ethel had looked so heartbroken it had killed her. Her life seemed to just be getting worse and she rushed into her bathroom grabbing a blade from a razor and slashing her arms not caring anymore about it being bad just needing to stop the hurt inside.


	6. Chapter 6 - Drunk

My friend the stargate time traveler gave me the idea so thank you! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Six

 **Drunk**

A month. A whole month until she was allowed to leave the house again. When Mrs Hallow had returned home and being told by her father what had happened she had grounded her eldest. Esmerelda thought it was highly unfair, she had gone to see her sisters it was not like she was out with some boy or something but if her parents thought she was staying in for a month they were wrong.

Sneaking out was actually easy. Half the time no-one was watching her and she could sneak out the door, she didn't even have anywhere particular she wanted to go she just couldn't stay in that miserable house all day. One day after she had sneaked out she came across a bunch of people her age sneaking into a club, she didn't know why but she was just sick of her life so she followed behind them and immediately the noise hit her as she entered the club. The music was so loud that it made her ears ring and she was about to leave, thinking she had made a mistake when she saw a bar. She walked up and sat on one of the stools there.

"How did you get in?" the bartender asked as he turned around to see her sat there "I am calling security" he told her and Esmerelda gasped. She didn't even realise she wasn't allowed in because of her age, but the thrill of being somewhere she wasn't supposed to was fun to her. She jumped off her seat and ran off and the man sighed as she disappeared into the mist of bright lights.

It didn't take her very long to find alcohol. She was walking past a table when she saw a man with his head on it asleep, clearly having falling asleep from the amount of alcohol he had drank. There was a bottle of drink next to him and it was still half full. Esmerelda took it and found an empty table before she opened the bottle, took a gulp, and coughed as she felt her mouth burn. She had never tasted the stuff before and thought it was nasty.

How on earth did people drink this stuff? She asked herself. Your mouth burned and the taste itself was nothing to write home about, in fact it was pretty disgusting but if it was such a popular thing there must be something about it so Esmie took another sip and this time it wasn't as bad, it did burn her throat but it was strangely a pleasuring feeling.

She knew for her personally it would not take long until she was drunk if she was not careful as her body was not used to the liquid but she thought a bit more wouldn't hurt but as soon as she swallowed another gulp she knew she had made a mistake.

The alcohol and the fact she had not ate properly in days was not a good mix at all. She could feel herself about to throw up and ran to the toilets before being violently sick. Now she just felt stupid to have put herself in that state. She stood up and felt like she was buzzing and her head hurt from the drink but it didn't stop her leaving and drinking a bit more. Stupid choice. She was back within minutes throwing up. This time she left knowing she would not be able to stomach anymore of the stuff with her empty stomach and headed out of the club, tipsy and walking not quite straight. She walked straight into someone who was coming out of a shop. It was not that late after all, maybe six or seven at night.

* * *

"WATCH IT" the girl she walked into shouted annoyed before tutting "Maybe if you weren't drunk you could see where you were flaming going!" she shouted before walking off and Esmerelda felt ashamed of herself then, she didn't want to be just another of them people who were drunk on a Saturday night so she walked quicker, preparing to go home and sleep it off before anyone else could notice.

However her sense of direction was not quite the same, did she go left or right on this road? Her mind was to fuzzy to remember. She turned left and started heading down the path before she ran into someone who was out running themselves.

"MOVE" Esmerelda shouted thinking it was his fault for jogging and getting in her way

"You ran into me!" he told her before he looked closer and saw she was drunk. The guy must have only being a few years older than her, eighteen or nineteen at most.

"Look love you best get home" the guy told her seeing she was young and intoxicated and worried about her being young, he was not going to do anything to her but there was people with sick minds who would if she fell in their paths.

"Oh well why don't you come with me" Esmerelda told him making an awful attempt at flirting before falling over. The guy helped her up knowing he couldn't just leave her. He might not know her but if he left her here god knows what would happen to her.

"Come on, I will walk with you" he told Esmerelda wanting to be sure she got home.

"I can walk myself!" Esmerelda told him even if she couldn't

"Maybe so but I will feel better if I came too, you get some weirdos out at this time of night" he told Esmerelda with a sigh who nodded to drunk to argue or care.

* * *

It took a while for the stranger to get her address out of her because she didn't seem to understand what he was asking, he didn't even know where her house was so he used a google map to take him, hoping this was actually her address and she had not made up something.

"I am Wilson, what is your name?" he asked her just trying to make conversation.

"Esmerelda.." she slurred out and Wilson felt bad then about how she had got in such a state when she was clearly really young.

"Do your parents know you are out?" he asked having a feeling he knew the answer to that.

"You can't say anything because they will be angry" Esmerelda slurred out at him hoping he would pity her.

"I think it is best to tell them so they can keep an eye on you" he told Esmerelda wondering if he should call them but they were not far from the Hallow mansion now.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Esmerelda asked smiling at him slyly.

Wilson chuckled at her and shook his head, knowing even if she was his age and sober he wouldn't sleep with her or date her, it wasn't personal, she was not his type.

"No, I am gay so I don't think I so" he told her.

"Oh" Esmerelda said looking confused and a little disappointed by that confirmation.

Before long they were at her house and Wilson stood staring at it for a few moments

"Wow that is a huge house, I can barely afford my flat" he laughed "Come on then time to go home" he told her and Esmie nodded before talking.

"You can go now" she told him not wanting anyone to see him.

"Not until I have seen you go in, I think I better inform your parents" he told her knocking on the door before Esmerelda could stop him. Sebastian answered looking confused and concerned when he saw who was at the door.

"I think she lives here? I happened to walk into her and she has had a bit to much to drink" Wilson told him and the butler nodded.

"One second" he said before calling Mr and Mrs Hallow who appeared looking annoyed.

"Esmie, what on earth?" Mr Hallow said

"Are you her parents? I found her walking around the streets and she is intoxicated, I thought I best bring her home" Wilson told them and Mr Hallow glared at his daughter.

"You stupid girl, inside now!" he told her pushing her in the door as Mrs Hallow followed him without saying anything to Wilson.

"Thank you, it is lucky she came into contact with someone nice like you" Sebastian told him.

"No problem, I just wanted to make sure she was safe, see you" Wilson said as Sebastian closed the door.

* * *

"GET OFF" Esmerelda shouted as her mum held her arm shouting at her.

"Get upstairs and sober up, we will talk about this later, I don't want to hear a squeak from you, now go!" Mr Hallow shouted. Ursula followed her up making sure she got to her bedroom. Once she saw that she was in bed she slammed the door shut and magically locked it.

Esmerelda felt stupid then unable to believe she had just got herself so drunk that she had to have a stranger bring her home but she didn't have time to think about it for very long, or about how badly she will be punished because she found herself falling asleep and it was not long until she was in a deep sleep.


	7. Chapter 7 - Flirting

A/N: For my dear friend the stargate time traveler who helped me with this idea. A few mentions of sexual themes in this chapter but not detailed!

* * *

Chapter Seven

 **Flirting**

When Esmerelda woke up her head felt like she had been hit with a hammer. She had a pounding headache from her hangover and in that moment she wondered why she had thought it would be a good idea to drink so much. Without magic she needed normal medicine but she knew her parents would not get her any as way of punishment.

She laid low for most of the day, her head aching to much to do anything to productive and her stomach hurting from worry. She knew how much trouble she would be in for what she had done. She wished she could just get it over with but her parents were working so she would never get her punishment until the night.

* * *

She was therefore thankful when they walked in her room later that night, now they had given her a chance to get over her drunk state.

"Never in my days would I expect something like this from you" her father started of by saying, pacing her bedroom as he spoke.

"I am sorry father" Esmerelda told him with a sigh.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Mrs Hallow asked her glaring at her angrily.

"I was depressed because of my absent powers and I just thought it would help, a lot of people drink so I didn't see the harm it would do" Esmerelda replied with a shrug as she didn't know what else to tell them.

"A lot of people are not you Esmerelda, you are a Hallow, what kind of example are you setting getting so drunk you need a stranger to bring you home?" Mr Hallow asked and Esmie looked at him confused. She couldn't remember that part.

"I don't know what I was thinking I am sorry" Esmerelda told them hoping they would just give her the punishment and leave.

"Do you know how dangerous your behaviour is? You could have ended up in a gutter, being mugged or worse you could have gone to far with a boy" Mrs Hallow told her and Esmerelda looked at her more confused. Was she saying the worst thing was she could have had sex or being raped because she wasn't sure what she meant.

"I didn't do anything with anyone!" Esmerelda told her parents annoyed

"If you did you wouldn't remember though would you?" Mr Hallow replied and Esmerelda rolled her eyes.

"I didn't do anything, why do you not believe me?" Esmerelda said knowing she might of being drink and had a foggy memory but she knew she hadn't done anything as she was so sick she remembered leaving the club.

"Well you are lucky you didn't, we will not tolerate this behaviour!" Mrs Hallow shouted making Esmerelda's head pound more as she did so and Esmie subtlely touched her forehead trying to stop the pain without them noticing.

"You think it is clever to get drunk? Well then you face the consequences afterwards, you can deal with your headache yourself, you don't deserve any medical treatment" Mr Hallow told her and Esmerelda wished she had magic so she could curse them.

Esmerelda sighed. She knew already they were not going to help her but it didn't help the pain in her head.

"You will not be allowed to leave the house again unless we say so" Mrs Hallow told her as she glared at her.

"What? That is not fair, what about when I want to see Ethel and Sybil?" Esmerelda asked horrified she would not be able to see them until the summer if they had their way.

"You should have thought about that before making a fool of yourself" Mr Hallow told her before he left with his wife and Esmie was left to be shocked by their punishment. It was to harsh and she would not accept it.

* * *

Despite this her parents did not up the security and it was not long until she was out again. Her first experience being drunk did not make her learn her lesson. In fact, apart from the headache, she had enjoyed herself and that is something she had not done in a long while. She was enjoying behaviouring like a teenager for once in her life. She learned to be smarter and not get so drunk she couldn't get home, just a little tipsy was fine but with alcohol in her system she found she was more confident in a way she would never usually be. Some people became drunk with alcohol or obnoxious. Esmerelda became a flirt.

"Are you not going to buy me a drink?" Esmerelda said to a dark haired guy one day. He was tall with dark hair. The boy smiled at her and shook his head.

"You can't buy it yourself?" he asked her a bit louder than normal because of the music in the club.

"I am eighteen but I left my ID at home so they won't serve me" Esmerelda lied and the boy smiled as well not believing her.

"Oh well that is to bad, I can't buy us any, I am only seventeen myself" he told Esmerelda "Plus I think you have had enough" he told her able to tell she was drunk already. He wasn't exactly sober himself.

Esmerelda did not know what came over her in that moment but suddenly she found herself throwing herself at the stranger and kissing him. No-one in the club reacted as it was such a common thing for people to do. Before the boy could so much as decide whether or not to kiss her back she dragged him out of the club.

"What are you doing?" he asked her confused.

"Mmmm let's go back to my place, we can't kiss in there it is to crowded" Esmerelda told him. She had gone a bit far with her drinking today and was more drunk than usual.

"Oh you have your own place even though you are no older than me?" the guy asked her as she dragged him further down the street.

"Well no but mummy and daddy don't mind me having guests" Esmerelda told him lying to him as that was a huge no in her house.

"Oh really that is unusual" the stranger told her. "My parents don't let me bring girls home, they are strict" the boy told her.

"What is your name?" Esmie asked him as she dragged him further down the street.

"Cory" he told her and Esmerelda smiled as she told him her name.

* * *

Cory being just as drunk as the female and being a teenage boy was not exactly going to say no to a girl inviting him to her place. Esmerelda sneaked them in easily and then led him upstairs before kissing him hard.

"Mmmm nice place" he told Esmerelda looking around in between kisses.

Esmerelda smiled and opened her bedroom door pushing him in. If she had being sober she would not have any of this confidence and would probably be horrified about what she was doing but she wasn't thinking properly. In fact if she was sober she wouldn't be so reckless as she knew her parents would never let her forget this.

It didn't take long for the two teenagers to be kissing on the bed and Esmerelda was unbuttoning the boy's shirt in between kisses and just as she reached the last button her door flew open.

"ESMERELDA WHAT ON EARTH?" Mr Hallow shouted as he found his teenager daughter getting sexual with a boy. He walked over to the boy and tugged on his arm.

"DAD LEAVE HIM ALONE" Esmie slurred but was to drunk to actually do anything about it.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND IF I EVER LAY EYES ON YOU AGAIN YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY TEETH LEFT" he told the boy as he dragged him down the stairs and out of the door by his arm.

"OWW you are hurting me!" Cory told the man as he tried to button up his top as he was dragged

"IF YOU COME ANYWHERE NEAR MY DAUGHTER AGAIN YOU WILL FEEL MORE PAIN THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE" Mr Hallow told him as Mrs Hallow watched him drag the boy out and then come back in slamming the door so hard that the hinges broke.

"What is going on Triton?" Mrs Hallow asked confused.

Mr Hallow didn't reply but stormed up the stairs, ready to punish his daughter. This time she had gone way to far.


	8. Chapter 8 - Fighting and Punishment

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

Chapter Eight

 **Fighting and Punishment**

Mr Hallow stormed up the stairs and went into his daughter's bedroom with Mrs Hallow not far behind. Like he had done with Cory he clutched hold of the girl's arm and dragged her out of the room.

"OWW GET OFF YOU ARE HURTING ME" Esmerelda shouted out in her drunken state.

"Be quiet!" Mr Hallow told her dragging her down the stairs and into the sitting room. He uttered a quick spell under his breath making the girl become more sober, it wasn't the best spell in the world as it could not get rid of the drunkenness in it's entirety but it took the edge of it.

"Triton what is going on?" Ursula asked again as she was still clueless as he had stormed past her without answering before.

"I will tell you what is going on, if I hadn't of walked in our daughter's bedroom when I did, she would have had sex with some strange guy!" Mr Hallow told her

"I beg you pardon?" Ursula said shocked at what he said to her.

"You heard me" Mr Hallow said as he pushed Esmerelda onto the sofa in the sitting room, the girl tried to move so he used a binding spell.

"No you are not going anywhere, you will listen to us!" Mrs Hallow told her as she went to sit down to join her husband.

"You are fifteen years old, this behaviour is disgusting and unacceptable!" Mr Hallow told her as he glared at her, his eyes blazing with anger.

"It is what teenagers do! Younger people than me have done it, you are making way to big a deal out of this!" Esmerelda told them

"No we are not, how could you be so stupid, it is disgusting and dangerous, do you want to be another statistic that manages to get herself pregnant as a teenager?" Mrs Hallow asked her on the same side as her husband.

"I am not that stupid" Esmerelda told them with a sigh

"Oh well with how drunk you were I am surprised if you knew your name let alone to use protection!" Mr Hallow told her and Esmerelda turned bright red as this was super embarrassing.

"Okay I am sorry, I didn't end up doing anything so can we forget this now?" Esmerelda asked fed up of them going on about it. She knew she had been reckless and would be more careful next time but they were going way to overboard like they always do.

"Why would you even consider it? You are supposed to be smart and think these things through!" Mrs Hallow told her daughter shocked and disgusted.

"I don't know! Maybe for once it felt nice to have someone there other than myself! I don't get to see my sisters because of you two!" Esmerelda told them, blaming them.

In all honestly she was glad it had been stopped. She had a feeling she would have regretted it but she was being truthful in the fact it wasn't about having sex it was being wanted by someone and not pushed aside until it was time to show them off to their friends.

* * *

"Oh grow up Esmerelda, we have work to do we can't be doing things with you all the time!" Mr Hallow told her thinking it was not fair to blame them.

"But that is the thing isn't it! You don't do anything with any of us, you treat Ethel like dirt for no reason, and then you wonder why she acts up!" Esmerelda shouted at them, feeling the anger inside her boil over.

"That is not true! We give all three of you everything! You are just ungrateful!" Ursula told her daughter wondering where this behaviour was coming from.

"A child does not need a diamond necklace, they need love and affection, someone that cares if they are injured or how they are feeling, you only care about that stuff when bragging about us!" Esmerelda replied angrily, the drink giving her the confidence to say this when normally she wouldn't dare.

"We do care!" Mr Hallow told her

"Oh that is why when you found out Ethel was in the most dangerous wood in the history of the magical world and still hadn't returned you just left without bothering to go check if she was okay! Normal parents don't do that!" Esmerelda told them

"Ethel was not by herself, she was with classmates and adults" Mr Hallow replied raising his voice as he fought with his eldest.

"Oh and what about the fact that when mum went to visit after she found out that Sybil had being trapped in a fire she didn't even ask how she was or if she okay after her ordeal she was more concerned with finding that stupid founding stone!" Esmerelda shouted back, thinking of an another example.

"I knew she was fine as I could see her! Why are you trying to make things more than they are?" Ursula asked her.

"Because you two don't care about anyone but yourselves, I have no magic and you don't care enough to help me, there is solutions but you are putting them off and I am fed up of keeping quiet!" Esmerelda replied close to tears and she didn't even know why.

"Enough! You know we are working hard to try find a way to get you your powers back, but if you carry on with this ungrateful teenage attitude maybe we won't bother!" Mr Hallow told her.

"Oh whatever, I don't care anymore" Esmerelda told them fed up of them playing games with her. If she wanted her powers back she would have to do it herself. She knew that now.

"Well if you are so upset about it maybe you should have thought about that before deciding to give your powers away for no reason" Ursula told her still annoyed at her daughter's stupidity in what she had done. She had being so angry at both Esmerelda and Ethel at the time she found out but her anger towards her eldest had died down a little now.

"I didn't give them away fro no reason! I did it for Ethel because Agatha was going to take one of ours either way!" Esmerelda told them knowing they old not understand as they never did anything for anyone. "I couldn't let Ethel give up her magic!"

"Well maybe if you weren't so gullible you would see the little brat knew it was Agatha!" Mr Hallow told them unable to believe Esmerelda could actually be so gullible. When the story had been replayed he thought it was fishy that a headmistress was asking students for their magic, he didn't understand how his eldest had been so blind to that.

"Ethel is NOT a brat, don't call her that!" Esmerelda shouted instantly going into defensive mode over Ethie.

"She acts like one!" Ursula replied and Esmerelda sighed.

"She is a good person, she is just trying to get your attention but you are too blind to see it!" Esmerelda told them logically. She knew Ethel was good she had seen it before and would always see it, she could be good she just craved attention so much she misbehaved. Ethel was not bad her parents just never bothered to look at the bigger picture.

* * *

"QUIET! Mr Hallow shouted "I don't want to hear another word, you will not be leaving this house again, in fact you will not be leaving your room again!" he told Esmerelda.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Esmerelda shouted, thinking that was abuse to keep her locked up like an animal.

"I can and I will, food will be brought up to you, you will be allowed out three times a day to use the bathroom and the rest of the time you will be locked in!" he told Esmerelda who glared at him.

"I will not stay locked up, you can't make me!" Esmerelda shouted. Ursula slapped her daughter hard and glared.

"I have had just about enough of you, you will do what you are told, now get upstairs before we drag you up!" she told Esmerelda who stormed up the stairs as she felt her cheek burn, but it wasn't to shocking, she had been hit a few times before. Not that she went around telling people that.

She went in her room and cried, not knowing what she was going to do to stay sane anymore. Without magic the only way out with her door locked was through the window, but her room was on the third floor and she didn't want to die, not whilst she still had sisters to think off. For their sake, and her own, all she could do was play along until she could find a safe way out.


	9. Chapter 9 - Memories

A/N: Both Esmerelda and Ethel show signs of depression in my view so this is how this chapter came about. I hope you all enjoy it.

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* * *

Chapter Nine

 **Memories**

The rumbling in the girl's stomach grew as she lay on her bed looking at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world but the girl made no attempt to get up to go and seek food, she stayed in the same spot looking at her white bedroom ceiling.

It had been a week since she had been locked in her room and she was refusing to see anyone and was not eating anything, she felt like a prisoner and her mindset about herself was growing worse. She had received a letter that morning from Ethel, that had water marks on it, clearly her sister had been crying whilst writing it, even if she liked to deny the fact she did something like crying. The letter read that she was sorry for everything and to keep hope high, mum and dad could not keep her locked up away from them forever. Esmerelda wished she could believe that but somehow she knew they could.

"Meow" Morgana said as she went to cuddle up to her mistress, the cat looked at her concerned as the girl was acting catatonic. She had been lying in the same spot for over forty minutes, only blinking to show she was still alive but not moving her body in any other way.

Esmerelda knew by now she was suffering from depression, she hadn't been diagnosed but she was so sad all the time she had to be, everything felt so dark, like she was in a dark deep hole and was trapped there, unable to climb out of it. She knew she could never tell anyone about this, her parents would not understand and be ashamed that their perfect Hallow daughter was suffering from a mental illness. Sybil would believe her but be really upset about it. The only person who would actually understand was Ethel, but she was miles away and she had no way of contacting her.

* * *

Ethel must have been around eight when Esmerelda realised her mood swings were much more than the girl deciding to have a tantrum. It was more than that. There were times Ethel had been so miserable nothing herself or Sybil did could get her to smile, she would just sit there with her head hung as the demons in her head plagued her. Esmerelda had stupidly at the time told her worries to her parents but instead of being sympathetic and saying they will get her checked out they told Esmerelda if she didn't snap out of being a downer they would punish her until she stopped being a brat and smiled. Esmerelda had known it was more but what could she had done? She was just a kid who was raising her sisters herself as her parents never bothered to look at any of them for long unless they had friends to boast to and she didn't know how to help Ethel.

Esmerelda by the tender age of eight had known how to look after her sisters like an expert. She made sure they were clean and tidy and washed, made sure they had plenty to eat and they were put to bed. She could tell anyone exactly every food Ethel won't eat if they bothered to listen or she could tell people Sybil will only eat spaghetti hoops because the shaped versions scared her. She knew how to clean that sore knee or that bleeding finger the girls somehow managed to cause themselves to obtain and she had everything about her sisters memorised but Ethel's mental illness becoming apparent was something she had no idea how to fix.

When it was clear Ethel was getting worse and suffering Esmerelda had gone desperately to her grandmother Josephine. The woman was her father's mother but it was hard to believe they shared cells with one another. Josephine was kind, funny, and caring but still had that feisty, brave Hallow attitude. The woman loved her granddaughters and the feeling was mutual but they didn't get to see her as much as they would have liked because she lived on the other side of the world in Australia, she had moved there after the death of their grandfather, to try and grieve and move on from her lost love.

Josephine had been so worried when she saw her eldest granddaughter crying as she mirror called her. Even then the girl didn't cry in front of others so she had known she was worried about her darling sister. She immediately got a flight to Britain, took one look at Ethel and took her to the doctor.

Tests followed, Ethel cried and screamed she didn't want to do them but Josephine had told her they would help her and Ethel had reluctantly agreed. Ethel had spent hours talking to the doctor as Esmerelda, Sybil, and Josephine waited outside anxiously. When they were eventually called in one look at the doctor told them Esmerelda had not been a worried mother or sister she had been right knowing something was wrong with Ethie.

Ethel was upset at first when she found out the doctor thought she had depression. She thought there was something wrong with her and it was her fault, Esmerelda had been upset thinking she could of prevented it earlier and Sybil didn't really understand what it meant so didn't react much.

"Ethie don't cry, it is not your fault, these things happen to many people" Esmerelda told her as she cuddled her crying sister.

"But I am a Hallow, I am not allowed to feel like this" Ethel had replied as she sobbed on her sister's shoulder.

"You can't help how you feel Ethie, even if you are a Hallow" Esmerelda had explained to her.

Josephine was upset too, thinking if she had been there this wouldn't of happened but everyone was glad she was getting help but promised to keep the pills a secret from their parents as they knew they wouldn't accept it. Witches had many advances but treating depression was still not seen as important, so it was the same treatment as non magical treatments. Some doctors didn't even treat it, not believing it was an illness.

That short time Ethel had that medication was a time Esmerelda would never forget. It wasn't a miracle cure by any means, Ethel didn't suddenly start dancing and singing like the happiest person in the world but she was definitely happier. She wanted to do more with her sisters, was not lashing out as much, she was sleeping much better and was not waking from nightmares every few hours like she had been before and she wasn't pushing people as way as much as before. Ethel had said for the first time in a long time her head was clear and Esmerelda had cried in happiness that her sister was okay and she was able to be happy again until a few weeks after the diagnosis.

Josephine had to go back to Australia. She didn't want to but she had her business there and the workers couldn't go on without her for long. Esmerelda told her not to worry because she knew to make sure Ethel had her medicine. Every morning as soon as she woke up she gave it to her sister first thing so she wouldn't forget but one day as she gave it to her sister her father walked in her room, wanting to tell her about a party they wanted her to attend later in the week.

Esmerelda had not been able to hide them. Her father found the tablets and all hell broke lose. Mr and Mrs Hallow mirrored Josephine and had a long go at her about how she didn't get to decide when to seek medical attention for their daughter. The argument lasted for what felt like hours and once they had finished fighting Mr and Mrs Hallow threw the tablets away.

"NO YOU CAN'T!" Esmerelda told them trying to refrain from crying as it had taken her so long to get Ethel help and now she was back to square one.

They hadn't listened or cared, Esmerelda had tried everything to get her some more but no-one would give her tablets when she was a child, Josephine tried to give her notes that said she had permission as her sister had depression but no-one would look at them.

* * *

Ethel had therefore had to cope without her medicine and had soon grew worse. Her temper increased, she began becoming violent and argumentative and at times plain nasty and until Esmerelda was eighteen there was nothing she could do about it.

Ethel would understand if Esmerelda told her she was suffering from the same thing, in fact Esmerelda had felt on the verge of it for years. Some days were really hard for her to not stay in bed and do nothing but she had done it as her sisters needed her. Now, after everything, Esmerelda knew she had been tipped over the edge and was suffering the same way Ethel had for years. It was exhausting and now she understood why Ethel was always so edgy because her illness was making her tired.

The thing was Esmerelda did not want to tell Ethel what she suspected because she knew she would blame herself for having of helped Agatha but that was just the thing that made her symptoms more apparent, she had been suffering for years, she was just able to repress it. Ethel could deal with it so she had to be strong enough to cope too.

Her stomach rumbled again interrupting her thoughts. Esmerelda moaned annoyed at it for making so much noise. She wasn't going to flaming eat so there was no point in it bothering her. She touched the scar on her arm, trying to make herself feel better as she touched her injuries. She had not self-harmed in a while but only because she knew it would start to become obvious if her arms were covered in scars but in that moment she got an idea.

She grabbed the blade and lifted up her top, piercing the skin on her stomach. Unless someone was creepy it was not an area they would see. This was an area she could do whatever she wanted to and no-one would know.

As the mark she made bled she noticed already what not eating was doing to her. She had always being naturally skinny but she could see she was starting to lose weight but even this did not knock her into her senses.

"Don't look at me like that Morgana" Esmerelda told her cat who was looking at her as she cut herself. Esmerelda was past caring though.

After she had finished with her self-injuring for that time she put her top down and lay down on her side wondering how Ethel had been coping so long with this horrible feeling plaguing her down, though Ethel didn't cope that well clearly as she was always getting in trouble.

Esmerelda looked at the time. She was tempered to mirror Josephine and tell her everything but her parents had blocked mirror calls so instead she grabbed a pen and paper and started drafting out a letter to her.

" _I have the same problem as Ethie, mum and dad have blocked my calls, can you write me back, there is things you need to know"_ Esmerelda read back in her head what she had written but she then picked it up and screwed it into a ball.

She couldn't sent it. Josephine would end up arriving on the doorstep and Esmerelda didn't want her to fight with her parents. She was scared to that Josephine would apply for custody, not that that would be bad but the girls would either have to move or Josephine would. Esmerelda did not want anyone in that position.

She therefore threw the paper in the bin and tried to clear her mind from her dark thoughts. She didn't need help. She was fine. She had to be.


	10. Chapter 10 - Journey To Ethie and Sybie

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Chapter Ten

 **Journey To Ethie and Sybie**

Another whole week went by and Esmerelda was falling further down into her own little world. One day Sebastian walked in and put a bowl of soup on her desk. She didn't so much as glance at him or the soup and stayed lying in he bed long after he left, crying to herself.

Esmerelda was unsure. Was it possible to have withdrawal symptoms from a person because she seriously thought she was experiencing this with her sisters, more so Ethel because she had not got a chance to see her on her last visit. Being locked up in her room had made her crazy and rebellious so she walked over to her window and opened it before throwing tied up bedsheets out of it. She started to climb down slowly and felt her feet hit the ground. Yes she was free, she needed to see Ethel now. She quickly ran out of the mansion grounds before she was caught.

She ran off, feeling a little strange as she had not moved properly in weeks as she had been locked up like a prisoner and only had her bedroom to walk around, but she ignored it and ran, heading towards Cackles. She had a little while before someone noticed she was gone and went to find her.

* * *

After running for a long while she touched her head feeling light-headed, it probably wasn't wise to run when she had an empty stomach so she slowed down to a walk instead.

If only she had some money she could have gotten a bus but she was out here penniless and she didn't think a driver would let her on without paying so she carried on walking slowly, taking her time but not being to slow anywise she would never make it before it got dark.

It was a long walk to Cackles. It hadn't been so bad last time because she had food in her stomach but her body was weak now and she was struggling. She decided to have a rest before carrying on and took a different route through a non-magical park.

Thankfully for her, one of the benches was empty so she sat down trying to get her breath back and feel better. She felt light-headed, dizzy and quite sick but she had to carry on. She had to see her beloved sisters before she ended up doing something stupid. She knew feeling her sisters in her arms as she hugged them would temporarily take away her pain, one she could get relief from without injuring herself.

Just as she was about to stand up and thought she could manage the rest of the journey out of nowhere it started to rain. She had never minded living in southern England before really, being British you grew up with this strange weather and didn't mind the rain anymore but today rain was not what she needed. She didn't need a cold now of all things.

"Stupid rain!" Esmerelda shouted to the sky wondering why their weather had to be so unpredictable. Ethel was more predictable than bloody English weather that was forty degrees one second and thunder and lightening the next minute.

One good thing came out of the rain though. The rain meant she stood up, wanting to complete her journey quicker. She had a hood but it didn't stop her getting drenched as she walked, not risking running again.

As she walked then that was the first moment she started to panic. She had been so excited and desperate to see Ethel and Sybil she had not stopped to think beforehand. When they saw her in the state she was currently in they would be heartbroken. It was getting quite clear she was starving herself and some of the scars on her arms had not healed right yet. She could try to lie to them but she couldn't lie for anything, they would find out the truth, and find out exactly what she had been doing to herself whilst they were at Cackles.

* * *

She didn't care though. Maybe she wanted them to know, maybe she knew by now she needed help, that is why she was walking for hours in the rain to go and see her sisters, to tell them she was struggling. She wasn't normally someone to admit defeat but despite what some people thought she had feelings and only in front of her sisters could she let her mask fall, they didn't expect her to be emotionless like her parents.

She knew her parents would be angry when they found out what she had been doing. Why did they never understand their children? It infuriated her. The problem with Triton and Ursula Hallow was they thought fancy clothes and toys was what a child craved and needed but that was not right at all, all children wanted was love and for their parents to spend time with them, children didn't care if they lived in a one bedroom flat or a twelve story mansion, as long as they were loved it didn't matter to them, and what was the result of their rubbish parenting? Three daughters, all messed up, all with problems and one not even in her teen years yet.

Esmerelda unable to interact properly with other people or show her true emotions or feelings, struggled to make friends as she didn't know how to talk to people, has for most of her life had to mother her sisters. She didn't mind one bit, she loved looking after Ethel and Sybil but cooking for them and making sure they had warm water for baths and clean clothes was not a job which should have laid on a young child. If Esmerelda didn't exist she would hate to think what state her sisters would be in without her making sure they had everything they needed. The result was she was so attached to her sisters she couldn't be away firm them or she went mad, she could never quite be seen as a friend by otter people because she cared about nothing else in the world but Ethel and Sybil and now she had depression and was self harming and staring herself as she was kept away from the sisters she had raised herself.

Ethel was the one who showed obvious signs of being messed up because she was the one who lashed out at people and had a temper and bullied people and played nasty tricks. Ethel never felt important or worthy of anything and hated herself deep down. She loved her sisters to death but she didn't know how to express love so pushed them away instead, she trusted no-one and was waiting for them to let her down. She was a product of what she had being made from the adults rejection and comparisons between herself and Esmerelda. The unloved middle child no-one cared about.

Sybil was the hardest to tell there was a problem with. Much happier and fun than her sisters it was hard to tell she had anything wrong but when you start to look further into it you realise her fear of the whole world is not normal. The girl has been traumatised from past events in her life and now she fears everything. She fears other people, never knowing what to expect from them and has no confidence in herself or her abilities to succeed. She is waiting for the next back thing to happen.

Yes all three girls had problems and that was down to the treatment they had when growing up. Never properly loved, played games with, let down and rejected, compared to one another and never allowed to flourish in a safe environment. Mr and Mrs Hallow had messed up and now the results were revealing themselves.

If Esmerelda was grateful for one thing in this it was the fact her sisters and her were so close. She always suspected they would be so close but maybe not as much if they had proper parenting. Esmerelda had always wanted sisters, she adored Ethel from the moment she born and then adored Sybil just as much when she was born the year after but whether that would have changed as they got older is anyone's guess.

Esmie tried to clear her mind as she walked, hugging her chest to try and stop herself getting to drenched. The rain came down harder and she rushed faster not wanting to arrive to see her sisters a sodden mess.

* * *

No-one was around her, the park was empty. People had fled when it rained clearly so she walked slowly, the only one in the place. She smiled though. This park was quite far from her home, in fact walking it normally was one hour so that meant she was getting closer to the northern line and would soon be nearer Cackles. Nearer to her precious sisters.

As she walked past a couple who were fleeing from the rain, she overheard them talking as they ran and knew indeed she was in the northern area now. The accents had changed which meant she was much closer to Ethel and Sybil.

She walked for another ten minutes before she started to feel funny again, That dizziness was not going away, in fact it was increasing. She tried to ignore it, needing to see her sisters more than anything. She could feel sick later but not now.

The rain was not helping though. She could feel herself become more soaked through and with that her sick feeling increased. She knew her hunger was making her body so weak, and she had been walking for almost two hours with nothing in her stomach. It was any wonder she was still going.

Her vision started to blur than and she knew her body was to tired to carry on, if she wasn't careful she would collapse but she couldn't let that happen, she had to get to Ethel and Sybil even if she died trying. She cried slowly to herself missing them more as she thought about them.

She missed her sisters so much it hurt her. She missed Ethel being bossy and Sybil being clingy and the lack of privacy she had because her sisters walked in and out of her room whenever they felt like it and the way it was never quiet, you could always hear one of them talking or both of them arguing. She loved them so much and in a few minutes she would get to cuddle them again and this time she was not going to leave without seeing Ethel, it would kill her to do that.

"YES" Esmerelda shouted as she saw she was now at the rocky entrance to the castle. Once she was up there she would be at the school. She started to climb only realising it was a bad idea after a few steps. She was so light headed she didn't know if she could make it all the way up the rocked cliff, she took another step before she fell, falling as her body lost the last of it's energy. She heard someone scream as she fell but she didn't have time to tell who they were as the world turned dark as finally she fainted.


	11. Chapter 11 - Sick

A/N: I did research signs of malnourishment for this chapter so I hope it is accurate! For my dear friend the stargate time traveler as I know you adore this character!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

 **Sick**

Esmerelda felt groggy as she felt herself slowly coming back into reality. She could feel rain falling on her, confirming she was still outside where she had fallen.

"It is okay love" Esmerelda heard an unfamiliar female voice say to her. She opened her eyes, her vision still foggy as she tried to reply.

"Ethie….Sybie…." Esmerelda said as her memory came back slightly and she remembered that she had gone to Cackles to find her sisters before she collapsed.

"Try not to talk, you had a nasty fall" the female voice said again.

"Ethie, Sybie…...I need Ethel and Sybil" Esmerelda said desperate to see her sisters despite the fact she could be injured.

"Who are they?" the voice said again not understanding.

"My sisters….they are at school…..please let me see them…." Esmerelda said. Her vision came back in that moment and she saw a curly haired woman kneeling down beside her. The woman pulled out a mobile, thankful they had a phone in the Cackles office and called them, not wanting to leave the girl to go find someone. She spoke quickly to someone, hanged up, then turned back to the blonde.

"I am Julie Hubble..." the woman said and was about to ask the girl her name before she interrupted her.

"Mildred's mum?" Esmerelda asked knowing there was only one Hubble at Cackles Academy.

"Yes...you know her?" Julie asked curiously

"She is in one of my sisters year" Esmerelda told her before she tried to move, not able to wait any longer to see them.

"No don't move, I am a nurse and because of that I know moving can make injuries worse" Julie told her quickly.

"I just want to see my sisters" Esmerelda said as tears streamed down her face. She didn't know why she was so upset, she was just frustrated with herself and not being able to see them. She just wanted to see her sisters was that to much to ask?

Julie opened her mouth to reply when suddenly there was sounds of other footsteps and Esmerelda saw Miss Cackle appear on her other side.

* * *

"Esmerelda!" Miss Cackle said. When Julie told her that a young girl had had a nasty fall outside the castle she had not expected it to be her ex-pupil. It didn't even cross her mind.

"Is she a pupil?" Julie asked the woman worried

"Not anyone, it is a long story" Miss Cackle said having no time to explain why Esmerelda was not attending Cackles at that moment when she wasn't well.

"I want Ethel and Sybil! Where are they, why are you keeping them from me!?" Esmerelda replied not caring if she was being rude, she needed her baby sisters. Her parents had kept her away from her and now she thought the adults were doing the same.

"Calm down Esmerelda, I will tell Miss Hardbroom to bring them down" Miss Cackle told her as she used a spell to send a message to her deputy.

Julie though was not listening. She was worried about the girl, not because she might be injured but because of why she collapsed in the first place, Julie had being a nurse for many years and had seen many things, Esmerelda was acting delusional, being rude, was pale and had sweat on her forehead and appeared quite confused. She was showing signs of malnutrition.

Julie opened her handbag and took out a mini first aid kid she carried everywhere with her, it was kind of a given being a nurse she would be so prepared in case Mildred fell ill when they were out, she opened the kit and took out something.

"Esmerelda...when was the last time you had something to eat?" Julie asked her but Esmerelda didn't reply. She felt groggy again and quite dizzy. Her head felt heavy and her vision still was not perfect. When she got no answer Julie spoke again.

"Esmerelda, you are going to feel a little prick on your finger, I need to check your blood sugar levels" Julie told her. Esmerelda didn't respond to that.

"OWW" Esmerelda screamed out as she felt her prick her finger. Julie carefully wiped the small bit of blood away that the prick had caused.

"Sorry honey I have to check" Julie replied feeling bad. She hated having to hurt people, especially kids.

"ESMIE" Esmerelda heard a sound that souded like heaven. That was Ethel. It was such a beautiful sound.

"Esmie are you alright?" Esmie then heard Sybil said. She could of cried at the beautiful sound of her sisters voices. She thought she would not get to see them.

"Ethel, Sybil…..." Esmerelda said trying to grab them with her eyes half closed. Ethel grabbed her hand and Sybil grabbed the other, squeezing it and trying to hide their worry about finding their sister lying on the floor.

"We are here Esmie what happened?" Sybil asked worried.

"Esmerelda had a bit of a fall" Miss Cackle told them and Ethel gasped out looking close to tears.

"Esmie are you hurt?" Ethel asked confused as to why she was being so mute, she seemed really groggy. She squeezed their hands weakly but didn't really say anything.

"Her blood sugar level is super low, someone needs to call for medical care now" Julie told them knowing if this was left untreated many things could go wrong for Esmerelda and she could become really sick.

"What does that mean?" Sybil asked as Miss Cackle called for a magical doctor.

"It means she doesn't have enough sugar for her body to function properly" Julie told them worried for the girl now. She knew she might not have done this on purpose, she might not have being given enough to eat but it didn't matter how it happened she needed urgent help.

"Wait are you saying she needs more sugar?" Sybil asked making sure she understood and Julie nodded. Sybil opened her bag, pulled out some chocolate she had hidden and tried to get Esmie to take it but she kept pushing it away.

"Esmie come on, this is going to help you!" Ethel said frustrated, knowing this was no time to be picky but she kept her mouth firmly clamped shut, refusing it.

"She won't eat it" Sybil said not wanting to force her to eat as then she could become more sick or choke.

That was when Julie started to suspect the girl was deliberately starving herself but she didn't want anyone to worry so she was glad when the paramedics arrived and took the girl in.

* * *

Esmerelda was still awake in the ambulance and was thankful Ethel and Sybil were allowed in, normally kids were not allowed but Esmie was in such a panic they needed someone to help her calm down.

"Right Esmerelda your blood sugar level is extremely low, but don't you worry we will fix that" the paramedic told her as for the second time that day she felt a needle go into her hand.

"What are you doing?" Esmerelda asked drenched in sweat.

"We are putting you on a drip, to raise your glucose levels" he told Esmerelda.

Esmerelda's reaction to this was scary. She started to squirm around, unable to deal with the fact food was going into her body without her consent, as she felt the liquid go into the tube in her arm she pulled the needle out of her hand. Everyone just stared at her shocked.

"You need to take it" the paramedic told her as Esmerelda kept screaming no at him. He suspected she had an eating disorder as strangely this was not the first time a young girl had reacted like this. He found it much more difficult the second time to get the needle in as she fought him. Once it was in she immediately tried to pull it out of her hand. Not wanting to eat and not wanting sugar in her body.

Ethel though could read on her monitor her sugar levels were just continuing to low. She didn't care if she hared her for what she was about to do, it was better than having her dead so before she had a chance to pull the needle out again she put her hand over the needle and held it in place, stopping her from pulling it out and allowing the liquid to enter her body.

"ETHIE, STOP NO" Esmerelda shouted trying to fight her off as well but Ethel squeezed tighter, making sure she couldn't get to it as she looked at Sybil with tear filled eyes.

"I have to do this Esmie, to help you, I am sorry, I love you" Ethel told her as tears fell down the eldest blondes face as she realised it was pointless. Her secret was about to be revealed and she was going to be forced to eat. She cried to herself as she felt the liquid enter her body, not having the strength to pull Ethel's hand off.


	12. Chapter 12 - Confessions

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* * *

Chapter Twelve

 **Confessions**

Esmerelda knew at one point she must have blacked out again because when she woke up the bright lights in the hospital shone in her eyes and she felt like she had been asleep for a long time. She could hear voices and turned her head, feeling tired as she looked around.

"Esmerelda!" Sybil said as she saw her sister was awake. She wrapped her arms around her gently and hugged her, Ethel waited before hugging her gently too.

"What happened?" Esmie asked not remembering to well anymore.

"You collapsed, you are malnourished" Ethel explained and with that Esmerelda remembered. She had not been eating right and she fainted trying to reach Cackles. She didn't know how she had been so stupid.

"Esmie, why have you not been eating!" Sybil said looking worried and her blue eyes full of tears. Clearly she was worried about losing her sister or something really bad happening to her.

"I have been, I just skipped breakfast" Esmerelda lied. Not wanting to upset them by telling them the truth, which was she hadn't eaten in days.

"Esmerelda don't lie to us, they checked you over, there is no way you could get in such a state from one meal skip, you have been doing it deliberately" Ethel told her narrowing her eyes to tell her she wasn't fooling her. Esmie sighed, they were impossible to lie too.

"Alright….I have been starving myself" Esmerelda admitted looking at the ground. She didn't want to see her sisters sorrow and fearful eyes at her confession, it would break her to much.

"But why?" Sybil said sounding close to tears.

"I don't even know…." Esmerelda admitted as she honestly didn't know the reasons herself why she was doing it. "I was so miserable I didn't feel like eating and it made me feel sick, one meal skip turned to two and then three, I didn't mean for it to happen" Esmerelda explained to Ethel and Sybil. She couldn't believe she had let things get so bad she ended up hospitalised, she was furious with herself.

"You have been struggling...why didn't you tell us...we could have helped you" Ethel told her and Esmerelda sighed.

"I didn't want to worry you, I wanted to be in control but I realise now I haven't been….I have been so depressed...I let it get the best of me" Esmerelda told them as she looked up and saw she was on a drip again. She was tempted to pull it out again but she could sense Ethel was watching her and she knew she would stop her again. She knew she should be angry at her for doing that but she also knew she had to do it.

"We are supposed to worry about you, we are sisters" Sybil told her logically and Esmerelda sighed in understanding.

"I know but I don't want you to worry anymore than you have to, I am sorry, I am fine" Esmerelda told them, lying to herself as well as them. She wasn't fine and she knew that but admitting that was so difficult.

Ethel and Sybil glanced at each other then as if they were trying to converse between themselves if they should say what was on their minds. Esmerelda looked from one to the other before she spoke.

"What is wrong?" the eldest blonde asked the other two blonde girls.

Sybil looked down and fell silent so it was up to Ethel to talk, she cleared her throat, talking in a much softer voice than usual.

"Esmie…..have you being hurting yourself?" Ethel asked calmly and Esmerelda narrowed her eyes worried and confused. At least she hoped she looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Esmie asked looking at her sister.

"I mean physically, they had to put a tube in your stomach and they noticed scars on it" Ethel said before looking down with a sigh.

Esmerelda knew she was caught out then. Not only had they discovered her secret about not eating but they knew she had been self-harming. She had tried to hide it so well and now it was out there because she had been stupid enough to allow herself to become so weak she fainted.

Esmerelda looked from Ethel to Sybil, not knowing how to respond to that. There was no point, they already knew the answer to that question but these two girls were her sisters, her universe, she didn't have to be strong in front of them, even if she always tried to be. With that she let her composure fall and for the first time in many years she allowed herself to cry in front of other people.

* * *

"I am sorry" the girl said as she gently started crying. "I was so depressed and it helped me cope, I tried to stop it but I just didn't know how to" she said crying.

Ethel and Sybil looked at each other knowing she was in a bad way. For her to cry in front of them, they knew she was suffering, she always tried to keep it in to protect them. Both girls moved to sit closer to her and wrapped their arms around her.

"Esmie, you should have spoken to us" Ethel said softly. She was heartbroken about what she had been doing but more heartbroken she had been suffering in silence.

"I didn't know how to, I was scared you would be angry and I didn't know how to say it" Esmerelda said through her tears, crying more as she felt herself being comforted. Why was it when someone was comforted they always started blubbering more?

"We are not angry Esmie, we are just concerned" Sybil said worried about her sister's mental state and health in general. She cuddled into her, enjoying being close to her.

"Thank you" Esmie said before she looked at Ethel who had concern in her blue eyes.

"Ethie...I think I have what you have..." Esmerelda said not saying the word depression. They didn't like to use that word because their parents made it sound taboo. Ethel looked at her and nodded before she hugged her tighter.

"I know, I can see you are sad, I wish I could help you but even now I don't know how to fix it myself" Ethel told her in honestly. She knew ways she could try to make it so it wasn't so bad but without medicine she couldn't do much.

"I just want to go back to school with you two, I don't care about having no magic I just miss you" Esmerelda cried, confessing everything from the past few months. She couldn't keep how she felt bottled up anymore.

"I know Esmie, we miss you too, it is different without you" Sybil told her and sighed sadly.

"Mum and dad are going to be so angry" Esmerelda said worried about how much trouble she would be in.

"Don't worry about them…..you can't help it…..I am sorry it is my fault...if I hadn't of tricked you with Agatha, if you still had magic..." Ethel said trailing off and sighing sadly.

"Don't Ethie, it is not your fault, I was already feeling low before I lost my powers, I just didn't feel the full effects until afterwards I don't want you blaming yourself" Esmerelda told her knowing it was not fair to blame her when it wasn't all to do with what happened to her.

"What are you going to do Esmie?" Sybil asked wondering how she was going to heal and start to get better.

"Well you know how our parents are about this sort of thing, I need to help myself if I am going to recover, I need to force myself to get better" Esmerelda told her sisters as she stopped crying but sniffled.

* * *

Ethel looked around, looking guilty. Esmerelda sighed and was about to tell her to stop feeling guilty about what happened with Agatha. They had spoken about it and she had forgiven her for that months ago but then Ethel said something she had never expected and shocked her to the core.

"What if there was a way that you could get your powers back without Agatha needing to give yours back?" Ethel asked her quietly, clearly she had being wondering whether to say anything about it or not.

Esmerelda looked at Sybil, who looked at her open mouthed telling her that this was all new information to her as well, Esmerelda was about to ask Ethel what on earth she meant when their parents transferred in front of them, wearing looks that told them they were not impressed.

"Mother, father" Sybil said as she gulped, clinging tighter to her sisters, scared.


	13. Chapter 13 - Hallow Elders

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Chapter Thirteen

 **Hallow Elders**

Seeing their parents made Esmie shake with worry. Ethel and Sybil might be understanding about her struggles but her parents certainty wouldn't be. Luckily she might be able to hide the fact she was not eating from them, if she said she collapsed from walking to much.

"What on earth is going on?" Ursula asked her daughter before she could so much as think of what to say.

"I am sorry mother" Esmerelda said looking at the floor

"First we find out you left without permission and now that you are in hospital from fainting" Triton went on annoyed.

"I should have rested, I walked to far that is all" Esmerelda said, she wasn't a good liar but her parents were the easiest to lie too.

"Then why did we get a call from Miss Cackle saying you fainted because you are malnourished?" Ursula said angrily. Esmie looked at Ethel, doing the thing they do a lot where they talk through looks before turning back to them.

"I skipped breakfast" Esmerelda said knowing they were more likely to buy it than her sisters were.

"How much of a fool do you take us for? Millions of people skip breakfast everyday and don't collapse" Mr Hallow said, glaring at her annoyed.

"Well I..." Esmerelda started but was not even sure what she should say.

"Tell me the truth, have you being deliberately skipping meals, I want the truth Esmerelda" Mrs Hallow said, using her harshest tone on her.

"Yes" Esmerelda said, knowing lying would make things worse

Before anyone could say anything their father had slapped her. Sybil flinched and gasped, Ethel closed her eyes and winced.

"Don't hit her!" Ethel said as she finally realised what had happened and found her voice.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Mr Hallow shouted back at her.

"Please don't hurt Esmerelda dad" Sybil said, feeling close to tears but knowing she would be told of if she cried.

"You be quiet!" Mr Hallow said. All three girls fell silent then, they knew they couldn't do anything.

"You stupid girl, do you know how much trouble we could get in? They might take you away for neglect!" Mrs Hallow told her annoyed.

Esmerelda was about to say that she wished they would so they could be away from the physcos they called parents, but she didn't want to be beaten up anymore in front of her sisters so she held it back.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, I am sorry I just..." Esmerelda said looking at the floor.

"You just what!?" Ursula said, waiting for the answer.

Esmerelda looked at her sisters again. She knew they wouldn't understand whatever she said but she had to tell them the truth.

"I think I am suffering from the same thing Ethel is" Esmerelda said quietly looking at the floor. Ethel and Sybil gripped her tighter, scared of their parents lashing out again.

"I have told you all, Ethel is not ill, your grandmother has being putting ideas into your head!" Ursula said, looking red with fury. She hated talking about Ethel's depression more than anything.

"Bur mum she went to the doctor" Sybil said trying to make her listen.

"QUIET" Mr Hallow shouted before he looked at Esmerelda again.

"I am fed up with these ridiculous excuses, neither of you are ill, now I know you have been down about your powers but that is no reason to starve yourself" Mr Hallow said annoyed, he hated silly talk like this.

"Oh how do you know? You never even asked me how I feel!" Esmerelda went on, unable to resist. They always pretended they knew her so well when they knew nothing at all.

"We know you are upset, anyone would be upset if they lost their magic" Ursula said before she shifted her gaze from her eldest to her middle daughter.

"You see what you do? Why can you not behave yourself?" Ursula shouted out looking disgusted with the middle blonde.

"Don't shout at Ethel! This is not her fault" Esmerelda told them glaring back at them. In all honestly she didn't blame Ethel at all anymore, If Ethel hadn't of being there Agatha would of gotten magic of someone, Ethel tricking Esmerelda guaranteed it was Esmie but it could of being anyone.

"She knew it was AGATHA" their dad said wondering how she thought this wasn't Ethel's fault.

"Well Agatha tricked her too! Maybe if you two had given her even a slight bit of attention, she wouldn't of gone to someone like Agatha Cackle to get it off!" Esmerelda shouted, knowing that was what Agatha had promised Ethel. Her being head girl and her star pupil, Ethel would feel important for once in her life, that was what Ethel wanted, to feel worth something.

"DON'T blame us for her behaviour" Triton told hid daughter. "I have had enough of you answering back" he told her. The parents looked at each other and then turned back to the girls.

"You two leave this minute" Mrs Hallow told the younger two

"No way!" Ethel said, not prepared to leave Esmie to be punished in whatever disgusting way her parents had planned.

"NOW!" Triton yelled

"NO!" Ethel shouted before Esmie touched her arm.

"It is okay, go on" Esmerelda said as she gave her sisters a look, hoping they understood her. Ethel nodded and took Sybil by the hand, leaving her with their parents.

"Come on Sybil, we need to get help" Ethel said running to find someone.

* * *

Esmerelda was grateful she was in a hospital because she thought that way they could not do something to bad to punish her with so many prying eyes but she was wrong.

Her father cast a spell, one even the smart girl didn't know. She was just wondering what it did when she felt her back burning.

"AHH" the girl screamed out as she felt the flesh on her back burn, it got more intense and she screamed louder so her mum cast another spell. It silenced her. She was still screaming but no sound came out.

It was so painful for the girl, tears sprang to her eyes, it felt like someone had poured boiling water over her. She had heard of this spell before, it was a curse burning spell and tears fell out of her eyes as her flesh burned.

"I told you not to mess us around" Mr Hallow told her and the girl let tears fall out of her eyes, the pain making her feel in agony.

"You will listen girl" Ursula said as she helped her husband.

* * *

Ethel and Sybil ran around the hospital until they found a nurse. Out of breath the stopped.

"Help our sister please, our parents are hurting her!" Sybil said knowing whatever they were doing would be bad.

"I am sure everything will be fine" the nurse replied, busy and not wanting to be bothered.

"Look, maybe it is fine but maybe it isn't do you want me to contact the Great Wizard or tell him you aren't looking after your patients?" Ethel replied glaring at her.

The nurse looked at her seeing the girl looked serious and sighed before replying.

"Very well, let's go" the woman said following the girls back to the dorm, rushing to check on Esmerelda.


	14. Chapter 14 - Ethel

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Chapter Fourteen

 **Ethel**

Running back to the ward the nurse ran in with the two youngest blonde sisters where they were met with a horrible sight. Mr and Mrs Hallow had their hands raised casting a spell at the eldest who was frailing around in silence, clearly in pain though. Ethel and Sybil gasped before the nurse took control.

"STOP NOW!" She shouted. The shock made the Hallow parents lose concentration and the spell was broken. Esmerelda fell forward, the flesh on her back still burning but she now there was able to make sound again and Ethel and Sybil rushed over.

"Esmie are you okay?" Ethel asked worried about what their parents had done, Ethel looked at her sister before turning to her parents.

"What on earth have you done to her?" she asked, her eyes growing dark with anger.

"We were punishing her like she deserves" her father replied, sounding like he was not ashamed or sorry for what he did.

Sybil went to hug her sister, not knowing where the injury was but when she yelped in pain when she wrapped her arms around her, Sybil pulled back horrified.

"Sorry Esmie, it is okay, we are here now" Sybil said as they watched the nurse argue with their parents, the couple eventually left and the woman walked over.

"I am going to contact the Great Wizard about this but first I need to know how you are injured" the dark haired nurse asked the blonde.

"They used a curse burning spell on my back" Esmerelda told them as she moaned in pain, the spell might of stopped but her back was still agony. Sybil burst into tears and Ethel just became speechless, to shocked to even cry.

"Okay will you two wait outside please, I need to treat the injury" the nurse said in a professional manner. Ethel and Sybil didn't want to wait but obeyed and left, wanting Esmie to have the help she needed.

Esmerelda wished that she was asleep for this, not only did she find it highly embarrassing to be exposed like this with so much skin showing but as the nurse tried to heal the wound as best as she could she had to refrain from screaming out, even when it was not being touched it was painful, Esmie could not see the burn but she knew it was bad, she could feel it was bad.

* * *

Ethel and Sybil waited outside for their sister in silence, They both felt this was their fault for leaving her but they couldn't of done anything to prevent it, they did everything they could, they got help as fast as they could. It would have being worse if they had not gotten help, that was what they had to tell themselves,

After ten minutes of sitting in silence, Ethel suddenly made a choking noise and when Sybil looked at her she saw tears falling down her face as she cried.

"Ethel?" Sybil said biting her lip worried

"This is all my fault!" Ethel said as she cried harder and put her hands over her face. Sybil put her arm around her and shook her head.

"No it isn't you didn't do anything" Sybil said wondering how Ethel could think that.

"It is, I tricked her with Agatha, I made her lose her powers, I made her depressed and that led to her starving herself and self-harming and if she hadn't of done that mum and dad wouldn't of being angry and she wouldn't of done it if she had magic and was at school with us" Ethel replied as she cried more. A couple of people in the waiting room looked at her funny but Sybil looked at them and they turned away.

Sybil didn't know what to say to her sister in that moment. Sybil had not seen Ethel so upset in a long time. When it first came to light what had happened to Esmerelda, Sybil had heard Ethel crying softly in her room at night sometimes and even at school she sometimes heard her but she tried to be much quieter. Sybil suspected it had all come to head now because Ethel was sobbing her heart out loudly, she regretted what she did so much and now she was finally showing how much she did.

"Ethel, it isn't your fault, stop blaming yourself for this, you made a mistake but that does not mean this is all your fault, mum and dad are unreasonable you know that, they would have become mad at her for something else" Sybil told her sister, rubbing her back and trying to comfort her a little but Ethel wouldn't have it, she cried and she cried and Sybil knew she was not going to be able to console her. Ethel was so loud and upset she didn't hear the nurse come out to tell them they could go back in now. Ethel looked up at the nurse and then started crying again when she heard Sybil speaking to her.

"Can you give us a minute? I can't leave Ethel like this" Sybil told the woman knowing she couldn't take Ethel in to see Esmerelda in the state she was in, it would break Esmerelda's heart and Ethel would just grow more upset.

When the nurse came back without her sisters, Esmerelda became concerned. Even more so when she was told her sisters would be going in soon but they needed a little time. Esmerelda did not understand that though, normally they would rush in to see her, no matter what. Therefore the blonde waited until the woman had turned away and quickly hopped out the bed, prepared to go to her sisters if they won't come to her.

* * *

"Ethie?! Esmerelda said as she walked in the corridor to see her little sister in tears. Sybil turned to look at her, concerned.

"Esmie you should be resting!" Sybil told her, knowing she shouldn't be walking around right now.

"The nurse said you couldn't come see me, I was worried mum and dad somehow got to you" she replied as she went to sit next to Ethel. "What is going on?" Esmerelda asked feeling her heart break at Ethel crying so much.

"She thinks it is her fault because she helped Agatha" Sybil replied with a sigh as Ethel was inconsolable.

"Ethie I already told you it isn't!" Esmerelda said wondering how she still thought that. That was months ago, she didn't know why she was still so upset about it.

"But it is, I am sorry Esmerelda, I am sorry, I don't know why I am such a horrible person" Ethel said as she cried more.

"Oh Ethel" Esmerelda said as she put her arm around Ethel so both her and Sybil were cuddling her. "Agatha tricked you too" Esmerelda replied knowing now exactly what had happened.

"I did it for selfish reasons, I don't deserve my magic or your kindness" Ethel said knowing doing what she did to be head girl was sickening, when she looked back on it. It was all so she could get a purple belt with gold trim, she hadn't of cared about her sisters feelings and now it was coming back to bite her.

"Yes it was" Esmerelda admitted as her reasons were quite sickening "but Agatha is clever, she offered you the chance to have attention you needed and showed she was interested in what you had to say, I know how much you want mum and dad to notice you Ethie, Agatha made you feel special and like you were her number one girl, you didn't think about what you were really doing because you were so blinded by the fact you were getting attention" Esmerelda explained to Ethel. She had had months to think about it and now knew exactly what had happened.

"It doesn't matter I still..." Ethel started through her tears.

"Ethel stop it!" Esmerelda said firmly but still with the same gentleness she had for her sisters "You need to stop blaming yourself for this, Agatha is to blame for this, not you, you were tricked and deceived too" Esmerelda told her truthfully.

"I am still sorry Esmie" Ethel said leaning her head on Esmerelda's shoulder and that was the moment Esmerelda realised something.

Agatha had tricked Ethel into thinking she cared and she would give her the love and attention she so badly craved if she helped her trick her sister into giving up her magic, Ethel was in a way a victim of Agatha's schemes too, she had being used as a pawn and then betrayed when Agatha had what she wanted. Ethel had ran through the castle to save Esmerelda, realising she needed Esmerelda, Agatha not caring if they were both killed or indeed if her own sister was killed.

But where was Agatha now? Locked in a painting with the notorious Miss Gullet and she would be trapped there for all entirety, unless someone decided to release her. The woman was gone in affect, she couldn't hurt anyone but Agatha Cackle was still controlling both sisters. She still had the control over them, she had Esmerelda's powers and the woman haunted them like a ghost, she had broken a part of them both and what had happened was something that hung over both girls like the plague. Ethel was blaming herself for everything and Esmerelda's depression was much worse than it was before.

Agatha Cackle still had what she wanted. She was in charge still, even if she was not physically there but despite that Esmerelda and Ethel were closer to one another than ever and in that moment Esmerelda realised they had to stop letting this woman control them. They had so much more than she ever had and what happened could either make them or break them. They couldn't let the evil woman win. She loved feeling in control, and she still had the hold on them, after all this time.

Esmerelda wouldn't let her win, she was not going to let her control her anymore. Both of them were going to get better. They had to. It was time Agatha's games came to an end, Agatha could not win and Esmerelda would make sure she doesn't.


	15. Chapter 15 - Ideas and Soup

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Chapter Fifteen

 **Ideas and Soup**

When the young girl was taken back to her bed by a very annoyed nurse it was clear she was feeling brighter than before. She wasn't fussing as much and did not have a moody face on her and Ethel, whose eyes were bloodshot from all her crying, looked at her confused. It had taken ages to calm the middle blonde.

"Why are you happy? "she asked not understanding how her sister could possibly feel better after the last few months events.

"I spent so much time feeling sorry for myself and doing that is giving Agatha what she wants, the woman is still winning" Esmerelda explained to her sisters.

"She has won anyway, she has your powers" Ethel said sadly but Esmerelda shook her head.

"She only wins if we let her Ethie, she took my powers but I still have so much more, like you two" Esmerelda said as she smiled.

"She can't change our relationship" Sybil commented and her elder sister smiled.

"Exactly Sybil, we have things she can't take, I will learn to live without magic" Esmerelda replied as she realised something for the first time. She loved being a witch, doing spells, making potions, flying and having powers was amazing but she didn't need them to survive, she could learn to get by without them, it was a luxury to have powers but she would rather be powerless and have her two sisters with her. She couldn't survive without Ethel and Sybil, that was the difference.

"What if you don't have to?" Ethel replied "I know a way you can get your powers back" Ethel told her and Esmerelda remembered then she was about to tell her a way before their parents arrived.

"How?" Sybil asked curiously

"The founding stone" Ethel replied looking at the youngest who stared at her shocked.

"Ethel! That stone is what keeps the school magical, besides if you are caught with it you will be expelled!" Sybil told her shocked at her sisters idea.

"Well I have had it for weeks and none of the teachers have even noticed so I don't think that will happen now" Ethel told her sisters who both wore identical shocked expressions.

"I am not saying to take it all, just take some of the power" Ethel said as she smiled, clearly she had been thinking a lot about this.

"You took the founding stone?" Sybil asked to shocked by that piece of information to think about anything else. "But Mildred found it" Sybil said not understanding how Ethel had taken it when Mildred had found it in the storeroom.

"No Mildred found the clone I made, I cloned the stone and hid the fake in the storeroom, Mildred found it not realising it was fake" Ethel explained.

"Ethel! What on earth have you done?" Esmerelda asked shocked and upset. She was worried because when people found out about this Ethel would be in more trouble than she has ever being in before.

"You can get your powers back Esmie, no-one else bothered to think of a solution but I did, we have being focusing to much on Agatha, we don't have to get your powers back from Agatha, you can get a new set of powers" Ethel replied trying to convince her sisters this was a good idea.

"No way Ethel" Esmerelda replied shaking her head.

"Why not?" Ethel asked confused

"So many things could go wrong, plus my principles are more important than my powers Ethel, you should know that" Esmerelda told her.

"But you can have magic again Esmie!" Ethel said still not seeing anything wrong with her plan.

"I know Ethel but it is to dangerous, I am grateful, I appreciate what you did for me but I can't do it Ethel" Esmerelda told her. Ethel looked down sadly at the rejection to her idea.

"I was just trying to help" Ethel said looking at her lap

"I know you were Ethie, and I am so grateful but you know as well as I do it is not as easy as you say, with them type of things you have to be to precise, one wrong word and I could end up to overpowered" Esmerelda told Ethel and the girl nodded, knowing she was right.

"What are we going to do?" Sybil asked panicking now she knew the stone was hidden.

"Maybe I should return it?" Ethel asked as she shrugged.

"If you get caught they will expel you!" Sybil replied as tears fell out of her eyes. She didn't want to lose another of her sisters. She wanted at least one of her sisters at school with her.

"I know, but Esmerelda is right my idea is crazy, we have to return it before someone finds it" Ethel said only then realising how stupid and careless she had been.

"But how?" Sybil asked looking at both her sisters worried. Esmerelda though put an arm around each of them.

"Let us not worry about that right now, first we need to focus on me getting better" Esmerelda told them.

* * *

"You will stop self-harming?" Ethel asked her curiously

"You are going to eat again?" Sybil said looking hopeful.

Just then they were interrupted by a nurse bringing a bowl of soup over to Esmerelda. Despite the fact she was in the hospital for starving herself she was given some easy food to eat so the nurses could assess just how much she was eating, she was expected to try and eat it herself. The three sisters looked at each other and the tomato soup, neither knowing what to do or say. Esmerelda knew she had to eat, but the hardest part was taking that first bite. She did not find it appetising anymore. Ethel therefore took her spoon and dipped it in the soup before eating it herself.

"That is good" Ethel said trying to encourage her sister. Sybil realised what she was doing and also took a bite of the food, trying to reassure their sister it was okay to eat it.

"It is nice Esmie, come on you are missing out" Sybil said enjoying the taste of it.

Esmerelda looked at her sisters eating and somehow felt stronger, she could do it, she knew she could. She got a third spoon and dipped it into the soup before just looking at it on the spoon, she had not eaten in so long it felt alien now.

"Come on Esmie, just a little bit, it is warm" Ethel told her knowing it was not as easy as her saying she would do it, she needed to know it wouldn't harm her.

"Your favourite Esmie, you love tomato soup, don't you want to eat it again?" Sybil said and Esmerelda looked at her little sisters before taking a breath and bringing the spoon closer to her mouth, she opened it and then put the spoon in, putting the soup into her mouth.

As soon as the food entered her mouth she felt sick and, she had not eaten in so long her body was treating it as something foreign, it was hard to eat it because she felt sick but she swallowed the liquid, gagging a little.

"Well done sis!" Ethel and Sybil said in unison, both beaming as they knew that was the hardest part. Soup was great as she couldn't hide it in her mouth, she had to swallow it and they saw her throat move as she swallowed.

"See if you can manage another spoon" Sybil said. Esmerelda dipped the spoon in the soup again and then put it to her mouth, it was still hard to swallow but she managed it.

"I feel sick" the girl complained after the second spoon. She had not felt so bad after the first spoon but now she felt queasy.

"Your stomach is not used to food anymore, you have to get used to it again, it will get easier" Ethel explained and Esmerelda sighed, knowing it was going to be harder than she thought to eat but she was determined. She had to get better, She had to for her sisters and herself. This time she pulled some bread apart and dipped it in the soup before eating that, more solid and more like real food. It was still hard to eat it but she held back the sick feeling and forced it down her throat. A milestone was hit.


	16. Chapter 16 - Visitor

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

 **Visitor**

Esmerelda would have to stay in hospital for at least a week, Ethel and Sybil visited as much as they could but they were not allowed to stay over because of safety regulations so once visiting hours were over she was alone.

She was really trying to get better but eating was still tough, she felt sick every time but the doctors could not find anything wrong with her digestive system so they thought it was a mental thing, that Esmerelda was thinking eating would make her sick, Esmie thought they were probably right.

She was forcing food down her throat but she still could only manage a few bites, even with Ethel and Sybil encouraging her, and eating right now was the least of her worries.

After the attack by her parents they had fled, and knowing the Great Wizard had being told and was looking for them to punish them they had gone on the run, no-one could find them, some people doubted they were even still in the country. Esmerelda worried sick everyday that Ethel and Sybil would get kidnapped by them. She knew it was a stupid thing to think but as much as she liked Miss Cackle she was careless, it would not be hard to kidnap pupils under her care. This also caused problems for Esmerelda as obviously she was living at home right now and legally servants were not allowed to look after her so she had no-where to go right now.

This was what was slowing down her recovery process, it was hard to get over depression when she only had negative thoughts to think about. One day when she was lying in the hospital bed bored and waiting for her sisters she was told she had a visitor, she didn't think much of it until the visitor walked in.

* * *

"GRAN" the girl shouted as she immediately sat up to look at Josephine Hallow.

Josephine Hallow was her father's mother. She was the spitting image of Ethel and there was no doubt they were related. Josephine though loved her granddaughters and was not cold like their parents.

"Esmerelda darling" the woman said hugging her felling herself tearing up for the fact her granddaughter was in hospital.

"Don't cry Gran, I am fine" Esmerelda told her, not wanting her to know how bad of a state she was in. "How did you know I was here?" Esmerelda asked wondering who it was who rang her.

"Your sisters, don't be angry at them they have been so worried" the woman told her as she magicked a chair next to the bed and sat on it.

"I am sorry you had to come" Esmerelda said feeling awful the woman had had to come from so far because she had got herself into a bad state.

"Darling I wanted to come, why did you not tell me about losing your magic?" Josephine asked.

When the event had happened the three girls had agreed mutually not to tell their grandmother, it would only upset her and she would only come back to England and then their parents would fight with her and there would be more tension and in all honestly, Esmerelda was ashamed to tell her.

"I didn't want to upset you, I knew it would break your heart, I am sorry I should have told you" Esmerelda told her Grandmother knowing now it was wrong to keep what had happened a secret from her.

The woman grabbed the girl's hand and stroked it before noticing the cuts on her arms. They were fainter than before but there was still scars there, Esmerelda looked at the floor unable to look at the woman in the eye. She didn't want to see the look of disappointment in her eyes.

"Oh Esmerelda" the woman said now allowing the tears she had being trying so hard to hold in to fall "Things are much worst than I thought, I should never have left you" the woman said regretfully.

"Don't, it was not your fault, you did what you had to do" Esmerelda replied still looking at the floor upset. "I am sorry, are you angry?" the girl asked knowing her parents would be yelling at her by now.

"No darling of course not" Josephine said as she turned the girl's head to look at her and held it gently in her hands before kissing the top of it. "I am just upset and concerned darling, I am not mad at you" the woman said knowing Esmerelda must have been low to go so far, She just couldn't be angry at the girl when she was ill.

"I think I have what Ethel has..." Esmerelda said as she herself cried, admitting that to her grandmother was really hard for her.

"Oh sweetie" the woman said stroking her hair before she sighed "It will be alright, both you and Ethel will get better I promise" the woman told her as she hugged the girl who cried softly on her shoulder, having kept her tears in all this time.

"I am sorry darling, it is okay" the woman said rubbing her arm and trying to comfort her.

"I am trying but it is so hard" Esmerelda cried, not sure she could actually get better, she had being trying but it just was not working.

"I know it is, but you are strong, you can get through this, I am going to look after you now" the woman told her and Esmerelda looked at her confused.

"How?" Esmerelda asked knowing the woman would have to go back home after a few weeks but the woman looked at her seriously.

"I am moving back to England, it is time I fix all the damage that has been done by your parents, you and your sisters need a proper home" the woman told her and Esmerelda just looked at her confused wondering if she could even move back and if she could she didn't want her to turn her life upside to move.

* * *

"You don't have to do that, you are happy in Australia" Esmerelda told her not wanting her to sacrifice her entire life for her and her sisters, she could look after them both, they would be fine.

"I am happy with my favourite granddaughters, I realise now this is where I should be" the woman told her as a nurse came with a ham sandwich and put it in front of Esmerelda. She was worried because she didn't want to eat in front of the woman. She knew she would see how little she was eating and panic more. People always said Esmie got sense of worry about everything from the woman.

"Ethel and Sybil told me you haven't being eating" the woman told her and Esmie sighed as she broke a tiny bit of the sandwich off.

"I am trying to eat again, but it makes me feel sick so it is difficult" Esmerelda told her as she popped the piece of sandwich in her mouth and chewed trying to force it down her throat.

"I know you are trying honey, and it will be difficult at first, your body needs to get used to eating again" she explained to her granddaughter.

"That is what Ethie says, but it doesn't seem to be getting better" Esmerelda told her as she finally swallowed the food.

"Oh it is, you are eating tiny amounts whereas before you were eating nothing, you are getting there Esmie, it just takes a long time and small steps, you will be alright though I promise you, I will help you okay?" Josephine told her.

Esmerelda nodded as she pulled of another bit of the sandwich and ate it, knowing she had to eat, she had been horrified when she saw how scared her sisters looked when she fainted, she never wanted to see that look in their eyes at her expense again.

"Good girl" Josephine told her touching her back to comfort her before she noticed the girl flinched. It was hard to miss it.

"What is wrong darling?" the woman asked. Ethel and Sybil had not told her about the burn, it made them to upset to talk about and they thought it was not up to them.

"Did Ethie and Sybie tell you why mum and dad are not here?" the girl asked and the woman shook her head looking confused.

"They cursed burned me on my back when they found out what I had been doing" Esmerelda told her grandmother sadly. The burn did not hurt as much as it did, it was pure agony before but it was still painful and the reason curse burns were such a popular method for people who used dark magic was it could not be gotten rid of, it could have things put on it to try and ease the pain but the mark would be there forever. It was like a tattoo, branded into the skin, whereas normal burns might improve curse burns never will.

Her gran looked at her horrified, not knowing what to say, shocked into silence as the full extent of what had been happening hit her at full force. She had no idea things had got to this strange and fell even more guilty.


	17. Chapter 17 - Magic

A/N: I am away this weekend so no update tomorrow!

* * *

Chapter Seventeen

 **Magic**

Josephine was distraught after what her granddaughter had told her about the curse burn, she stared at her granddaughter letting tears fall down her face when out of nowhere the Great Wizard appeared form thin air, making both Esmie and her gran clutch their chests in shock from the sudden appearance.

"I am sorry to startle you" he told the Hallows as he walked over to them "I just thought you should know we have found Triton and Ursula Hallow" he told them and Esmie and her gran looked at each other in shock.

"Where were they hiding?" Josephine asked as she started to get over her shock

"Ireland, they were hiding with some friends there, luckily we have them in our custody" he explained before pausing and looking at Esmerelda.

"I heard about the curse they used on you, it is a forbidden curse so I will have to take action" he told the girl not wanting her or be in shock when she found out they were punished.

Esmerelda though was not upset. Far from it. She knew now they were dangerous and hurt everyone they came into contact with and her sisters needed to be safe.

"Good, I don't want them to be near my sisters again" Esmerelda said and the man nodded before walking over to a nurse and saying something. She greeted him politely, nodded, and then left.

"I need the medical records, we need proof that they used a curse on you, I will be back pronto, we want to start the procedure as soon as possible" he said as he disappeared and Esmerelda looked at her grandmother in shock.

* * *

"I can't believe they found them" Sybil said later when her and Ethel were visiting and were told what had happened with the Great Wizard.

"Yes well they have being searching everywhere so it was bound to happen" Josephine said as she smiled at the girls.

"What is going to happen to them?" Ethel asked curiously as she held Esmerelda's hand and Sybil held the other.

"Ethie, you know the punishment for using forbidden curses as well as I do" Esmerelda replied as she stroked her hand.

The punishment for using a forbidden curse and then being caught was having powers removed, only a few circumstances meant this didn't happen, for example if some crazy person like Agatha Cackle used a forbidden curse on you and you used one back to defend yourself you wouldn't get punished, the law was strict but there was exceptions too.

"I know but do you really think he will remove their magic?" Ethel asked wondering if the punishment would be that bad. She knew that was what was written in the code but the Great Wizard had the power to change it anytime he wanted.

"Hopefully, they are dangerous with powers" Josephine replied. Feeling a little sad it might get to this point with her son but he brought it on himself by acting untouchable because he is a Hallow.

In that moment, for the second time that day, the wizard appeared out of nowhere, once again causing everyone present to jump from shock at how suddenly he appeared.

"Sorry, sorry" he said as he saw the family all jump as he appeared. It was true that everyone transferred but the Great Wizard never annoyed his visits and just crept up on people so it always scared people.

"We have looked through everything and we have decided we have to go through with the punishment, removing their magic" the Great Wizard informed them.

Everyone looked a little sad. They knew it was for the best but it was upsetting for them it had come to this stage.

"Thank you for telling us Great Wizard" the woman said gratefully.

"I actually came here to tell you something else, Esmerelda has no magic and because her parents powers are being removed we thought we would give them to her" he told the family who now all looked at each other, surprised. That didn't usually happen.

"We won't be doing anything with the magic anyway, it will just go to waste, we must as well give them to someone who needs them and deserves them, I am partially to blame for what happened, I was the one who locked Agatha up without removing her magic in the first place, I am sorry about that" he said and Esmerelda looked at her sisters and gran shocked, none of them had expected this.

"Oh your Greatness, thank you, thank you" Josephine said as she touched her hand to her forehead in way of thanks.

Esmerelda didn't say anything she was to shocked. He seemed to understand and smiled slightly before he kept talking.

"We are ready to do it now if you are up to it" the man told the girl and Esmerelda looked at her Gran who nodded.

"Yes, thank you so much your Greatness, I really appreciate it" she told him finally getting her words out and smiling. He nodded and walked over to the family before transforming them all away. They landed in what looked like a detention centre and were told to wait.

* * *

"I can't believe this, it is great" Ethel said smiling as she was so happy her sister was getting her magic back.

"A way for you yo get your powers back which isn't dangerous!" Sybil said very happily.

Esmerelda smiled but felt nervous. She didn't want to look at her parents when they transferred their magic. She had nothing to feel guilty about but they had a way of making her feeling guilty. She was so scared of them after they had cursed her.

"Don't worry darling, it will be fine" Josephine told her sensing she was nervous.

The family waited for the remaining ten minutes in silence until a man dressed in uniform walked in looking stressed, anyone would be if you were in charge of Triton and Ursula Hallow. Esmerelda noticed that he was holding something and smiled as she realised what it was.

She didn't have to see her parents. The item the man was holding was a transfer stone, it was similar in looks to a founding stone but smaller;. A transfer stone was what police used to store magic of someone if there was a need to store it, for example, sometimes someone will be reinstated with their powers, depending on the crime so they don't want to get rid of the magic completely. It was an easy solution to their problems. Previously magic had being lost and then someone would be let out who was not deemed a threat and they could have magic again, only it would be gone.

"Ready to proceed?" the man asked looking very stressed, clearly the Hallow parents had put up a fight for their magic and he was still trying to calm down about it, but Esmerelda nodded and listened to what she had to do.

"My powers have gone, my powers have flown, give to me your powers oh transfer stone" Esmerelda said as she put her hands either side of the stone and waited, she looked at her grandmother as nothing happened and she was just wondering if it was going to work when suddenly….

An orangey pinkish ray of light started to surround her and it stayed like that for about a minute until it stopped. Esmerelda looked at the stone and saw it was not lit up anymore because the magic was gone from it.

She lifted her hand then, not daring to get her hopes up as she pointed her fingers to the cupboard across the room. The door of it opened, just like she had wanted it to. She had just done magic for the first time in months.

Ethel and Sybil saw the spell work and leapt on their sister hugging her close. They were both teary, so happy and relieved the girl had her magic back. Esmie hugged them back, teary herself and Josephine beamed, wrapping her arms around all three of them.

"Thank you" Josephine said again as the Great Wizard appeared to check how things were going.

"You are welcome" he told the family as Josephine transferred them back to the hospital. Esmerelda still had to recover, even if she had magic again.

"How do you feel?" Sybil asked her and Esmerelda smiled. She looked at her sisters, her grandmother and then her hands which were still glowing before she looked back at her family.

"Never better" Esmerelda told them for the first time thinking it was possible to recover.


	18. Chapter 18 - Winning

A/N: Another story finished. Another one will be started on Friday and I am really looking forward to that one so keep an eye out, thank you once again for alll the support!

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

 **Winning**

Now Esmerelda had her magic back things were looking up for her. She was still in the hospital and she had still not being told when she will be allowed to go home but she overall felt brighter. Her gran could not be by her side the whole time though, she had a lot to sort out. She needed to sort out a house for her and the girls, the Hallow mansion was much to large for children so she was trying to decide whether to move them elsewhere or just make the house smaller.

Now that Mr and Mrs Hallow were in prison, the house no longer belonged to them so Josephine was in charge of deciding what to do with it. It was a long process, but she had time before the girls finished for the summer to sort it out.

* * *

Esmerelda looked at the bowl in front of her amazed for a few moments. It was a week later and she had just finished a whole bowl of soup. For the first time in many months she had finished a meal and not only had she finshed it, she had rather enjoyed it, when the nurse came back to collect her bowl she smiled happily.

"Well done" she told the girl and Esmerelda smiled, knowing finally, she was getting better. Josephine was thrilled when she came to visit and she told her what she had done. The woman hugged her tightly so proud of her eldest granddaughter.

"I am going to be okay aren't I?" Esmerelda said finally believing it and the old woman nodded and hugged her, loss for words.

Ethel and Sybil were equally thrilled about Esmerelda starting to get better and hugged her that night when they visited. Josephine was happy to see all three of her girls genuinely smiling for once and was happy she had news to share.

"I have brought a house for us, four bedrooms so you can all have your own room still but not as large as your mansion, about forty minutes away from the mansion" Josephine told them hoping none of the girls were upset because it was a downgrade.

"YES!" Ethel said and Josephine looked at her curiously.

"Our own house was so big, if I wanted to find Esmie and Sybil I sometimes had to search for half an hour, and it was cold and dreary, I am glad I can find them easier" Ethel admitted not upset because she honestly thought their old home was to big. Maybe if there was more of them, like five or six girls instead of three, but it was just impractical for Esmerelda, Ethel and Sybil.

"She is right, I felt like I was doing a marathon sometimes at home" Sybil admitted and Josephine laughed with agreement.

"It still needs decorating, but you all can help with that" the woman told them thinking it would be fun to do it together, it would be their home too, they had to feel a part of it.

"I can't wait to get out of here and do just that" Esmerelda told the woman who smiled knowing it was going to be soon, she would be out soon.

* * *

Josephine was right. Esmerelda was released from hospital a week later, she had being in there for her lack of eating but now she was eating enough she could go home. The house was still in a state of being finished but there was already beds in the rooms, so she had somewhere to sleep.

"It will look more like a home and less like a building site soon" Josphine told her granddaughter who looked around the new house curiously.

"I know, but I like it already" Esmerelda said thinking it was the perfect size and it already felt more homely than the mansion did, she could not wait to see the finished result.

"Lunch?" Josephine asked her. Esmerelda had been worried once she got home she would not want to eat anymore, but she nodded and smiled and when Josephine brought her a cheese sandwich, she tucked in realising she was hungry, the woman smiled at her with tears in her eyes.

"What?" Esmerelda asked wondering why she was teary.

"I am just so happy darling, you are eating again, I am so happy you are better" she told the blonde as she hugged her and Esmerelda cuddled into her, thinking how nice it felt to have someone look after her for a change.

It was actually fun getting the house ready though. They decked the place in purple, the families favourite colour, with comfy cream sofas and photo frames of the girls throughout the years that were framed lovingly and placed on the wall. Something they never had back at their old home.

The sisters had a fun time during that summer painting the walls. Josephine could do it with magic but that took away the fun of getting messy and it was an activity the girls spent hours doing and giggling because they couldn't reach a spot.

"There is more paint on you lot than there is on the walls!" Josephine said when she came to check on them.

"Oops" Syvol said giggling as she looked at her sisters knowing they would all need a shower when they had finished.

* * *

One day Josephine went out with Ethel. She was secretive about where they were going, even Ethel didn't know. Esmerelda and Sybil was confused and a little hurt that their grandmother was playing favourites when that was where their troubles had been for so long, when they returned a few hours later though Ethel didn't look happy.

"What happened?" Esmerelda asked as she noticed Ethel sigh.

"I took Ethel to the doctor, I am sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't want to worry you, you thought she had gotten worse so I wanted to get her checked, she still has depression and it has gotten worse" Josephine explained. Neither sister was surprised by that revelation that it had gotten worse but all their anger evaporated then as they were worried about their sister.

"I was going to take you too Esmie but you seem to be going uphill and there was only one appointment, I can always make one for you if you need it" Josephine said and Esmerelda nodded thinking it wise to get checked out as she was not one hundred percent better. It might be wise to get Sybil seen too, just to be on the safe side.

"I think it will be wise to check but I am glad you took Ethel first, was she given medication?" Esmerelda asked hoping she had been as she remembered how much it had helped her previously.

"Yes" Josephine said glad their parents were gone and couldn't get rid of the pills again.

"I don't know if I will ever get better though, it has plagued me for so long" Ethel said sadly. She was ashamed about her mental health and in all honestly fed up of it. It had been so many years she had just gotten used to dealing with it as best as she could, she couldn't imagine life with a clear mind.

Esmerelda looked at her little sister sadly. She knew how she felt, in her darkest hours she had felt like she would never get better either so she rubbed her sisters shoulder and smiled at her.

"It will get better, it gets easier I promise, plus you are not alone, you have me and gran and Sybil to help you, you won't be by yourself" Esmerelda told her before hugging her knowing Ethel would struggle as she had but she believed she would improve with the love and support she will receive.

Ethel wasn't sure if she was right but she hugged back, remaining optimistic.

It took most of the summer holidays but finally the place was finished. The family stood back and admired their decorating and smiled, finally their home was complete. It was cosy and homey, something all three girls needed badly.

* * *

Esmerelda lay in bed that night just thinking. She didn't self-harm anymore, she was eating normally. She had gotten her magic back and her mental health was on the mend. Her toxic parents were gone from her and her sisters lives and they were living with the grandma they adored and equally adored them and she was able to be with her sisters all day, which was just the way she liked it.

She was happy. For the first time since this nightmare started she was truly happy and not just living because she had to but because she wanted to, if someone had told her at the start she would be happy she would of not believed them.

She knew it was still going to be difficult. She wasn't fully healed and never would be, in the back of her mind she would always have that dark side waiting to take over again had she knew Ethel needed her now because it was still plaguing her but she knew one thing.

They would be fine.

All of them would be fine and the darkness that was in her life was drifting slowly away and for once she was looking forward to the future. She would be back at Cackles with her sisters in a few weeks and no longer felt like she was having withdrawal symptoms. Agatha Cackle's hold over her and her sisters was loosening and as time went by it would be gone completely from their lives. They had finally won and it felt amazing.

With these thoughts she smiled to herself and then turned of her lamp before putting her head on the pillow and falling asleep, sleeping soundly and peacefully in her new home, feeling safe, lucky and loved.


End file.
